


Kalopsia

by okaytaehyung



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Chan isn't dead, Dystopia, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone Needs A Hug, Family, Fluff, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Humor, M/M, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Lee Minho | Lee Know, Revolution, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27117419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okaytaehyung/pseuds/okaytaehyung
Summary: “No, Felix. Don’t look back!” Changbin says breathlessly. Felix doesn’t listen. He watches as Chan struggles to get to his feet. The soldiers watch him struggle and laugh. “Felix hurry!” Changbin hissed, grabbing his arm. Felix is still looking back at Chan. He watches the blonde finally rise to his feet. He expects the soldiers to restrain him then and there and ship him back to the Capitol. But that’s not what they do.Oh no.Why show mercy?The General unholsters his pistol behind Chan.Felix’s eyes go wide and he lets out a scream.A loud bang sounds off and Chan lurches forward, dark red blood drips from his mouth.// kalopsia (n) the delusion of things being more beautiful than they arein which skz become revolutionaries to avenge chan(he's not dead)
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix/Seo Changbin, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 15
Kudos: 67





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Well, It's been a while since I've written anything. I lost all motivation for my old fics so those are discontinued as of now. Also I'm in college now! I'm hoping to update once a week but it depends on my workload (I hate online school).
> 
> So basically in this pic, skz become their own little group of revolutionaries after Chan is "killed" for being a member of the resistance. That means Chan isn't actually dead. Surprise! Major character death fics just make me super sad and I couldn't put myself through that pain.  
> That's basically it, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> My twitter is @skziife if you want to go follow me there!
> 
> 10/21/20 quick change, I decided to make the fix more dystopian then the almost medieval setting I first thought of. Not much will change except for a few details in the prologue.

_2 years ago_

It was sunny. It was never sunny in Northpass. That’s what Felix told himself as he began his work for the day. The village of Northpass was situated at the entrance of a gorge between two mountains. It was always cloudy and dreary in Northpass. If it’s sunny, today must be a good day. Felix began his day in the stable, letting the horses out to pasture with the help of Seungmin, mucking out stalls and cleaning troughs. It may not seem like it, but Felix enjoyed his job. He felt a connection with the animals and enjoyed working with Seungmin.

“Is Changbin stopping by soon? It’s almost noon,” Seungmin wondered as the two sat outside the stable on their lunch break.

“He may be running late because of work, or maybe Chan was able to get a break today,” Felix responded. Usually his boyfriend Changbin would stop by with lunch from one of the shops in town. Some days, his other boyfriend, Chan, would be able to take some time off of work to see him during the work day. Chan was well known in the town. He was intelligent, successful and he had a heart of gold. 

“You can always share with me, I always ended up packing too much,” Seungmin offers. Felix sighs, he knows that Changbin didn’t forget. He never did. Something must have come up at work. He could already picture the older apologizing profusely when he walked through the doors of their small home. 

“Are you sure?” Felix asked, eyeing Seungmin with a look of guilt. Seungmin just rolls his eyes and swats at his shoulder gently.

“Yes dummy, I’ll just end up giving it to the dogs so it doesn’t go to waste,” he points out. Felix scoots closer to Seungmin and takes the half of the sandwich that was offered to him. 

“Thank you,” he says with his mouth half full, which earns him another playful swat from his friend. 

Neither Changbin nor Chan show up during Felix’s lunch break, and Felix understands. This was the busy season for Northpass. Much of the town's resources were being sent to the capitol before the winter and it required a lot of workers to make sure everything was accounted for. Finally, it was time to pack up and head home. Felix and Seungmin had just finished bringing the horses in before the night shift workers arrived.

“How has Jeongin been? Is his ankle any better?” Felix wondered as they walked back into town.

“A lot better, Hyunjin stayed home with him today. He should be walking on it in no time!” Seungmin smiled. His boyfriend Jeongin had twisted his ankle pretty badly while working and was forced to stay home while he recovered. Seungmin and Hyunjin, his other boyfriend, would take turns watching over him throughout the day. “Do you have time to stop in town today? Jisung and Minho’s bakery is still open for a bit longer,” Seungmin grins.

“Let’s go, Jisung would be upset if we didn’t,” Felix jokes, earning a giggle from Seungmin. As they made their way into the heart of town, the noise increased. Horses pulling supply wagons whinnied as they trotted down the cobblestone street, their hooves making a satisfying clopping noise. People were shouting about the deals in the market. The two boys hurried past distracted workers, Felix searching for Changbin or Chan in the crowds. He knew they must be busy today so he wasn’t worried. He felt the warm sun on his exposed skin and smiled. Finally they arrived and slipped through the door of the bakery, escaping the noise and chaos of the outside.

“Look who finally decided to stop by,” Jisung huffed playfully. Seungmin rolled his eyes with a soft smile.

“Well hello to you too,” he laughed. Jisung ushered them up towards the counter to look at all the treats on display. There was no one else in the shop at the moment which meant they could be as loud as they wanted and not disturb others.

“Min just finished with these scones, they should still be warm if you want to try them,” Jisung says, pointing at the blueberry scones in the display case. Felix’s mouth watered and he nodded excitedly. “Alright, a scone for Lix and what about you Seungmin?” Jisung asked. Seungmin hummed softly as his eyes analyzed the display case.

“I’ll take a scone as well, for Jeongin, and I’ll have a chocolate chip cookie,” he smiles, satisfied with his choice.

  
“Nothing for Hyunjin? How mean,” Jisung gasped jokingly. 

“He’s not stuck in bed all day, he can come down here whenever,” Seungmin laughed. Jisung nods and begins gathering the treats for his friends. Eventually, Minho appears from the back room.

“Hey, good to see you two,” Minho smiles as he wipes flour from his cheek. Jisung huffs and licks his finger to remove the excess flour, grumbling about Minho being “such a mess”. Minho smiled lovingly and took Jisung’s hand to gently kiss his knuckles.

Jisung hands the two visitors plates holding their treats and the bag containing the scone for Jeongin. “Come sit with us for a bit,” Felix says as him and Seungmin seat themselves at a table. Minho and Jisung come around the counter to take a seat. 

Felix enjoys the sunlight coming through the window, it’s nice and warm. He always thought the sun was beautiful. It was always a good day when the sun came out.

-x-

The screams were what caught Felix’s attention. From behind the counter, Minho shot up from where he had been squatting down to clean. “What the hell was that?” he questioned, coming around the counter. The screams continued and Felix could see people beginning to run past the window of the bakery. Jisung ran up from the back room to stand at Minho’s side. The older put an arm out to stop Jisung so he could step outside to figure out what was happening. Almost immediately he rushes back inside.

“We have to go now,” Minho announces. Seungmin’s eyes widen as he continues to stare outside.

“Hyung, why are Capitol soldiers here?” Seungmin asks, his voice trembling slightly. Felix furrowed his brow. Capitol soldiers came by all the time, but it was never something to worry about. All they had to do was give them what they asked for and they would move on. Felix then caught a glimpse of what was causing the commotion and his heart dropped. The Capitol soldiers carried large burning torches, the engines of their armored automobiles revved to instill fear in the already terrified townspeople. 

“Min what’s going on?” Jisung asked assertively since Minho seemed to know exactly what was happening. Minho stops for a second and takes a quick breath.

“This happened in my last village. I was really young so my parents had to fill me in on the details when I grew older and had questions,” he begins. The screaming continues and the smell of smoke grows stronger. Minho is obviously growing nervous.

“Let’s walk and talk, we need to find everyone and get out of here,” Jisung decides. Felix and Seungmin help the two pack the little valuables they own as Minho continues. “When they get a hit on a member of the Resistance they don’t ask questions, they just burn the whole village down,” Minho says as they open the doors of the bakery and leave one last time. 

“I need to get to Hyunjin and Jeongin,” Seungmin says, his hands shaking around the strap of his bag.

“Sung, go with him and meet us at the entrance of Yellowwood forest, Felix and I will find Changbin and Chan. They should be in town right?” Minho turns to Felix who nods in response. Jisung gives Minho a brief kiss and takes off with Seungmin. Soldiers pass by but pay them no attention, they’re searching for someone. Next to them, a building explodes into flames. Felix stops and looks. He feels a pit in the bottom of his stomach.

“Changbin…” Felix breathes out, watching the warehouse go up in flames. There was plenty of open space in there. No there wasn’t, the open floor would be covered with wagons filled with supplies for the Capitol. There are still people running out, black soot painted across their faces. No one looked badly injured. Maybe Changbin had already gotten out. Minho was actively searching for a familiar face in the crowds, also hoping Changbin had managed to escape the flames. 

A loud crash sounds from inside the warehouse and the flames intensify. Felix can feel the heat on his face as he stumbles back. “Minho hyung, do you see him?” Felix asks desperately. Minho’s hardened expression gives him the answer.

“I don’t think he’s out yet, listen to me. Stay right here, I’m going in to find him,” Minho says, handing Felix his cardigan. 

“Minho you can’t, what if you don’t come back? What about Jisung?” Felix protests, tears pricking at his eyes. Minho grits his teeth.

“Changbin is my friend too, I have to try,” the older says before turning to the burning warehouse. But just as he was about to run into the flames, two people emerge from the smoke, covered in ash.

“Oh my god, Channie, Bin!” Felix cries, rushing forward. Changbin is supporting Chan who must’ve been working in the same building at the time. Minho takes Chan from Changbin and wipes ash from his face.

“You have to go, Minho take them and run,” Chan begs. Minho stands there in shock.

“What do you mean, you’re coming with us. Come on, your ankle looks a bit swollen, I’ll carry you,” Minho says. Chan shakes his head and just stares at Minho. Felix is currently wiping the ash from Changbin’s face, the older gripping his arms for support.

“I can’t, they won’t stop looking,” Chan says. Minho’s eyes go wide for a moment before his expression hardens. But Felix can see the tears forming. The soldiers have moved past them, not noticing Chan yet.

“Channie, you-” Felix starts, but he is cut off by Chan’s arms pulling him and Changbin into his arms. Changbin has already been crying, Felix could tell by his tear stained cheeks. And now he knows why. 

“I’m sorry but I can’t go with you, live for me please,” Chan whispers, his voice shaking. Felix looks down at the ground, biting his lip to hold back cries of anguish. “I-I love you both so much, never forget that. But I need you to be strong. I promise it will get better,” Chan says.

“I love you too Channie, we’ll find you I promise. You’ll come back to us,” Felix says, finally looking into Chan’s eyes. Chan gazes back at him with a pained look.

“I’ll try, now you have to go,” Chan says hurriedly. Before pushing them away, he grabs Changbin’s arm. “Remember what I told you Binnie, please don’t let him see,” he murmurs. Changbin nods, throwing his arms around Chan’s neck for a last hug.

“Come on Lix, w-we have to go,” Changbin urges. Minho, who had stood watch for them, gives Chan a quick hug and says goodbye. 

Then, they run.

They’ll see Chan again, they can just break him out of prison. They’ll find the Resistance to get Chan back. 

“There he is!” one soldier yells. Felix’s heart breaks as he leaves one of the loves of his life behind. He keeps running, Changbin and Minho at his sides. And then he hears the scream.

“Chan!” Felix yelps, his head whipping around to look back. Chan is on his knees, clutching his right arm.

“No, Felix. Don’t look back!” Changbin says breathlessly. Felix doesn’t listen. He watches as Chan struggles to get to his feet. The soldiers watch him struggle and laugh. “Felix hurry!” Changbin hissed, grabbing his arm. Felix is still looking back at Chan. He watches the blonde finally rise to his feet. He expects the soldiers to restrain him then and there and ship him back to the Capitol. But that’s not what they do.

Oh no.

Why show mercy?

The General unholsters his pistol behind Chan. 

Felix’s eyes go wide and he lets out a scream.

A loud bang sounds off and Chan lurches forward, dark red blood drips from his mouth. Felix stops, causing Changbin and Minho to stop as well.

“They’re going to kill him! We can’t leave him!” Felix struggles as Changbin wraps his arms around his waist to stop him from running back. Chan sways on his feet before falling to his knees and collapsing. “Please! We can’t leave him!” Felix sobs, fighting against Changbin.

“Felix we can’t, he's as good as dead now, there’s no point. He knew he was a dead man the moment the soldiers came into town,” Minho says, trying to knock some sense into Felix. Felix could tell Minho hated every word that came out of his mouth, but he was right.

_“Live for me please,”_ Chan had said to Felix. He couldn’t disrespect that wish. 

Felix felt his limp body being shifted onto Changbin’s back and he just let it happen. His limbs just wouldn’t move on their own. So he let Changbin carry him, first back to their home that luckily hadn’t burned yet. Felix regained control of his limbs long enough to pack a few things, including a few of Chan’s shirts that still smelled like him. Changbin noticed how Felix just stood by the doorway, his face emotionless, tears slowly cascading down his cheeks. He sighed, tears of his own falling as well as he gathered Felix onto his back.

Minho led them through town until they finally made it to the edge of Yellowwood forest. Jisung slowly emerged from the brush with a wide grin. But it wasn’t long before his smile disappeared.

“Where’s Chan hyung?”

The question hung in the air. Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jeongin escaped their hiding spot to join the group. The looks on their faces asked the same question.

“He’s dead,” Felix said coldly, sliding off of Changbin’s back. “Those coldhearted bastards murdered him,” he growled. Jeongin let out a soft cry as he covered his mouth, Seungmin’s arm around his waist keeping him off his bad ankle.

“I’ll explain everything when we’re safe,” Changbin says, breaking the tense silence. “Right now we need to go, we can’t stay here. There should be another village on the other side of the forest,” he says, wiping his tears harshly. The group didn’t ask questions, they just turned to enter the forest.

Before Felix stepped into the trees, he felt a drop of rain on his forehead. There was the normal Northpass weather. 

The sun finally slipped away behind the clouds. 

And Felix wished for it to never come back out.

  
  
  



	2. one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! If you missed it, I updated the prologue a bit so this story would fit a more dystopian setting. 
> 
> That's all really,
> 
> Enjoy the Chapter!

2 years later

The streets were crowded with people. People dressed in the finest clothes, waving banners and signs. There were even automobiles among the paraders. Exotic animals attached to iron chains dejectedly dragged their feet as they walked. These were the wealthy people of Aresvale. The port city was mostly populated by the upper class, wealthy merchants and politicians. As they paraded their wealth through the streets, the poor watched from the sidelines.

A stage was set in the center of town for the newly appointed Governor to speak to the people of Aresvale. The parade continues, the wealthy are without care. They didn’t spare the starving children on the street corners a second glance as they moved past. 

From the alleyway, a person slipped out of the darkness, his face mostly covered by a hat. His clothes didn’t entirely match the extravagance of the rest, but he was well dressed enough to not raise any questions. 

“Are you in position?” the man asked, his finger pressed by his ear.

“Yep, he still hasn’t arrived in the square. You found your target?” a static voice from the earpiece wondered.

“Yeah, I just have to get a bit closer,” the man responded, raising his head to see over the people in front of him.

“Just remember to wait for Jeongin’s signal, got it Felix?” the voice said. Felix hummed in response, his other hand reaching to his belt where his knife was sheathed. The silver haired male looked around him, spotting familiar faces scattered throughout the crowd. He saw Minho, Changbin and Hyunjin all pursuing their respective targets. Jeongin was with Jisung, positioned in one of the taller buildings in the main square. Seungmin was in charge of their communication network, keeping any possible hackers out.

Their mission today was there first mass assassination and their first assassination in a few months. They never liked to place missions, such as the current one, too close together. Then people would get suspicious.

When they weren’t planning assassinations, their methods were less showy. On some occasions they would use poison to make it seem like someone died of old age, or a heart attack.

But today was a special day. Today called for something big. The crowd finally began to settle in the square, the excited cheers only growing louder by the second.

“I have eyes on Governor Nam, he’s coming out now. Everyone, get in position,” Jisung said through the earpiece. Felix slipped through the crowd until he was standing behind a tall man with broad shoulders. He was wearing an old military uniform adorned with multiple medals. Felix forced himself to hold off, wait for the signal. Finally the Governor stepped onto the stage, his arms spread wide, a smile on his face. The people cheered loudly. Felix clapped his hands to fit in with the crowd.

“Hello lovely people of Aresvale!” the Governor exclaimed, letting the cheers continue before the start of his speech. Felix held back the scowl that threatened to cross his face. This man only cared for the rich, he paid no attention to the families suffering in poverty. 

The Governor drones on and on, but Felix isn’t paying attention to his empty promises. He’s waiting for the signal from Jeongin. He keeps his head low to cover his face but high enough to make it seem like he’s paying attention to the speech. His hand ghosts over the sheath, ready to take out his blade.

“Thank you all! Enjoy the festivities! Allegiance to the Capitol!” The Governor finally finished, holding his fist in the air. The crowd cheers, but Felix listens. 

There’s the faint whistle.

The signal.

Everything happened so fast. The Governor fell to the ground, blood spurting from the gunshot wound in his neck. The man in front of Felix is oblivious. Felix moves quickly. The blade is unsheathed and without wasting a second, he jammed it into the back of the man’s neck before slipping away among the chaos. He didn’t even see the man fall.

He felt tears stinging his eyes. He fought his way through the crowd, blending in with the terrified paraders. A hand grabbed his bicep and Felix almost pulled out his knife to defend himself. But when he looked up, it was just Changbin. He led Felix from the crowd, meeting Hyunjin and Minho in the alley before they made their escape.

The four discarded their disguises before leaving the alley to avoid getting noticed by the soldiers already beginning to search for the culprits. They move carefully through the streets, the stench of garbage causing them to hold their breath at times. Eventually, the four slip into the apartment building they lived in. They passed the old woman at the front desk, bowing and smiling respectfully before making their way up to the small apartment.

The door creaked as it opened. Seungmin, Jeongin and Jisung were already there, sitting on the ratty old couch they had been provided. “Thank god, we were starting to get worried,” Seungmin sighs, throwing himself into Hyunjin’s waiting arms. Felix wasn’t in the mood to celebrate, he slipped away to the bathroom without saying a word. Changbin glanced in his direction and was about to follow before being stopped by Minho.

“Just give him a minute,” Minho sayid softly. Changbin nodded, knowing the older was right. Felix closed the bathroom door and opened one of the drawers, sifting through its contents until he found what he was looking for. Black hair dye that he bought from the underground market of Aresvale. Hair dye was forbidden under the Capitol’s ruke, so Felix had to find other ways to acquire it. His silver hair would make him recognizable. Even though he had worn a hat, someone must’ve seen his long silver hair.

As he began to dye his hair he started to think. He should feel better. He avenged Chan. He killed the bastard that murdered Chan. But it didn’t help. Killing the old General wouldn’t bring Chan back to him, nothing would. 

He stared at himself in the dirty mirror and his fingers worked the dye through his hair. There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. Changbin stood in the doorway, a worried look on his face. Felix glanced up with a guilty look on his face.

“I’m sorry I just left, I just didn’t feel too good,” Felix said, looking back at his reflection in the mirror. Changbin moved into the already cramped bathroom to stand behind Felix. “I thought killing him would make me feel better… but it did nothing,” he admitted, his shoulders trembling slightly.

“I know Lix, I wish that was all it took to make things right,” Changbin sighed, placing his hands on Felix’s shoulders. “Can you believe it’s been two years?” Changbin breathed out. It was exactly two years ago that the Capitol took Chan from them. Two years since Felix watched him die.

“I miss him so much Binnie,” Felix said, beginning to wash his hands off in the sink, the dye covered gloves being discarded in the trash.

“I miss him too, every single day,” Changbin agreed, gently massaging Felix’s shoulders to get the younger to relax. Felix dropped his head forward, a few tears falling onto his pants. 

The two sit there in silence, comforted by each other’s presence until it’s time for Felix to wash the dye from his hair. They moved to the bathtub, Felix turned on the water and waited for it to reach a comfortable temperature. He slowly dipped his head under the running water. Changbin helped him, combing his fingers through the younger's hair as the cool water from the bathtub ran over his head. The water in the tub turned dark grey until it faded into a slight murky color. Changbin left Felix at the side of the tub to grab a towel already stained with hair dye. He carefully dried Felix’s hair and patted the water off of his face. His newly dyed hair made his features so much sharper.

“You look beautiful,” Changbin managed a smile, his finger swiping a water droplet off of Felix’s cheek.

“Thank you Binnie, I love you,” Felix smiled, falling forward into his chest.

“I love you too,” Changbin’s lips met Felix’s for a kiss before Changbin stands. “Let’s go see the others, I know Minho was talking about stopping at Hongjoong’s tavern,” he adds, offering Felix a hand.

“Now? We just killed the Governor and four soldiers,” Felix asked nervously.

“From what Wooyoung told Minho, the soldiers are focused on the inner circles. They don’t expect the lower class to be able to afford an efficient sniper rifle,” Changbin explained, easing the other’s worries. Felix nodded and stood up, folding the towel to place it back into the cabinet. The two exited the bathroom and made their way to the living area that also acted as the bedroom for half of the apartment's occupants. Hyunjin was in the kitchen area with Seungmin and Jeongin who were rinsing bleach from his long hair. 

“Hey!” Jisung smiled, jumping up from his spot on the floor. “How are you two doing?” he asked in a serious, but comforting tone. Felix lets out a soft sigh.

“I’m okay now, I just miss him a lot right now,” Felix responded. Jisung nodded in understanding, taking hold of Felix’s hand. Felix smiled gently and let Jisung pull him into a hug. Jisung pulled Changbin in as well.

“I want a hug too!” Jeongin yelped, bounding through the living room. 

“Innie careful! You have bleach on your hands, please wash them first,” Seungmin yelled out. Jeongin stopped abruptly, huffing dramatically before walking back to the kitchen to wash his hands. Felix laughed as the youngest wasted no time running back to them to join their hug. When the four boys finally released each other, they made their way into the living room. 

“Alright, it’s safe for us to head to Hongjoong’s tavern if you all want to go,” Minho announced, his arm moving around Jisung’s waist. 

“I do want to go see Yeosang, I haven’t seen him in a while,” Felix said with a smile. The other boys agreed, excited to go see their friends. 

“Okay, we’re leaving in five. Sungie, just make sure your gun is tucked away before we leave,” Minho sayid. Jisung nodded, going to check the bedroom to make sure the sniper rifle was in its proper hiding place. Felix plopped down on the old couch, ruffling his hair with his hands to get it to dry faster.

“I missed your black hair Lix, it looks good,” Hyunjin observed, his newly bleached hair covered in a towel. 

“Thanks Hyunjin, I’m excited to see how your hair turns out. I can tell Seunmin is already in love with it,” Felix laughed. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and nodded his head in agreement. The group got ready and gathered by the door to leave. Minho opened the door, letting everyone exit before he closed and locked the door. The hallway was empty as they made their way to the stairs. Felix held Changbin’s hand as he exited the stairwell, exiting the building shortly after. The evening air was refreshing. The apartment was always hot because of the amount of bodies occupying the small space so it always felt nice to get outside and feel the fresh air.

The streets were filled with people going out for the night. There were a few soldiers roaming around, watching everyone who passed by for an uncomfortably long time before looking down at the portable screens in their hands. 

Felix’s stomach dropped for a second, they must have pictures from the security cameras from the square. Changbin noticed his discomfort and squeezed his hand. Seungmin, Hyunjin and Jisung continued their conversation while Minho scolded Jeongin playfully when the youngest asked if he could drink at the tavern.

“Don’t worry,” Changbin said, looking over at Felix with a soft smile. Felix nodded and took a deep breath. They pass the small group of soldiers without a problem and continue on to the tavern.

“Can I really not drink, Minho hyung?” Jeongin pouted, crossing his arms. Minho snorted and patted Jeongin on the shoulder.

“Are you 20?” Minho asked, raising an eyebrow at the youngest. Jeongin shook his head. “Exactly,” Minho said.

“But I’m almost 20,” Jeongin smiled. Minho sighed, knowing the youngest wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“Come on hyung, he’s almost 20,” Changbin smirked, nudging Minho’s arm. Jeongin’s smile grows. The others chimed in, leaving the oldest of the group outnumbered. 

“I’ll think about it,” he decided, earning a cheer from Jeongin.

“By ‘I’ll think about it’ he means yes,” Jisung whispered loudly in Jeongin’s ear so Minho could hear him. Minho rolled his eyes and turned the corner. The bright lights of Aurora tavern come into view. Felix felt his anxiety fade at the familiar sight of a safe place. Hyunjin reached the door and opened it, letting everyone in before walking in himself. 

The tavern wasn’t the busiest that it could’ve been but there were a decent amount of people. People were dancing, drinking at the bar and at the various tables set up throughout the building. 

“Hey Minho! Hi everyone,” Hongjoong waved happily, approaching the group as they enter.

“Hey! It’s good to see you,” Minho smiled, giving the other a quick hug.

“We have space at the bar, come sit. We have to catch up,” Hongjoong said, leading them to the bar, there were seven seats available for them. Behind the bar, Seonghwa waved before going back to cleaning glasses. Once everyone was settled, they got down to business.

“I take it everything went well today,” Mingi said, approaching the bar, standing behind Seungmin. Minho nodded, quietly thanking Seonghwa as his drink was served.

“Everything went according to plan,” Changbin added, taking a sip of his water. Hongjoong appeared behind the bar with Seonghwa and leaned against the counter.

“San and Wooyoung were out today and brought back some interesting information,” Hongjoong said, keeping his voice down but loud enough for everyone to hear over the music. Felix tilted his head out of curiosity. “There’s a Resistance group in Aresvale,” he revealed. Felix moved back in his chair in shock.

Even though the seven man group carried out crime against the government, they were not affiliated with the Resistance. They weren’t able to grasp the idea of letting their own members die. They weren’t there for Chan when he was killed. 

“A Resistance group? Do you know anything else about them?” Jisung asked, leaning in from his spot at the end. 

“There’s at least seven of them, they’re staying near the harbor, there’s not much else. They noticed my boys keeping tabs on them and managed to shake them off their tail for now,” Hongjoong explained.

“They outsmarted San and Wooyoung?” Hyunjin asked, surprised by that information. San and Wooyoung were excellent trackers. They were often the go to people for information on a certain target. 

“Yeah, San was pretty pissed when they got back home the other day,” Mingi spoke up. Seonghwa, who was leaning on the wall opposite of the bar sighed.

“Wooyoung went out earlier to look around, but he hasn’t come back yet. He should be back anytime now,” Seonghwa said, running a hand through his silvery blonde hair. Felix looked back at his drink. Sometimes he enjoyed alcohol, if he drank enough, it would take his mind off of things. While in a daze, he didn’t notice the person approaching him from behind. Suddenly, he felt hands on his shoulders and he jumped. He turned his head to see Yeosang, a sheepish smile on his face.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized. Felix laughs softly, happy to see his friend.

“It’s okay hyung, it’s good to see you,” Felix said, turning in his seat so he could see Yeosang.

“How are you doing?” The older asked, Felix knew what he was referring to.

“I’m okay, I had a bit of a moment earlier but I’m better now,” he said, nodding his head. Yeosang smiled.

“That’s good, I’m glad. Also I love what you did with your hair,” Yeosang said, his fingers finding his way to Felix’s newly dyed hair. He loved when people played with his hair. He enjoyed the comforting feeling.

“Thank you, it was too risky to leave it silver after today,” he explained. Yeosang nodded in understanding.

“I’m gonna run and find Sannie, Yunho and Jongho, I’m sure they want to say hi,” Yeosnag announced before turning and disappearing in the crowd. Felix turned back towards the bar, finding Changbin’s hand that was resting on the counter. 

The group continues to converse with Hongjoong, Seonghwa and Mingi, sharing stories and reliving memories. The conversation halted when Seonghwa’s attention quickly shifted to the door of the tavern. “Wooyoung,” he said quickly before rushing around the bar towards the entrance. Changbin turned to look, he squeezed Felix’s hand as he gasped.

“Holy shit,” Hongjoong cursed, helping Seonghwa bring the younger behind the bar. When Felix caught a glimpse of his face he cringed. Under his hood, blood was splattered across his face, a bruise forming on his cheek.

“What happened?” Minho asked, switching his attention behind the injured boy and the door. Had Wooyoung been followed back here? If he did, who had followed him? Soldiers? 

“I got fucking jumped,” Wooyoung growled, wincing as Seonghwa pressed a cold towel to his cheek.

“Wooyoung oh my god,” Yeosang yelped as he returned with San, Yunho and Jongho. He almost rushed behind the bar, but San held him back.

“Give them space babe,” San said, a worried expression on his face. Hongjoong gently dabbed the blood from Wooyoung’s face, taking note of him flinching when the towel touches his nose,

“Those damn Resistance bastards, I got too close and got cornered in an alley, probably thought I was a mercenary or an assassin,” Wooyoung explained, looking over at Yeosang and San. Jongho squeezed in beside Changbin and Minho, greeting the other two quickly.

“Did you get a good look at them? I can maybe find out who they are?” Jongho asked. Jongho was great with technology, he could find almost anything if you asked. Partiers glanced in their direction but didn’t pay much attention to the bleeding boy. It was better that way anyways, Hongjoong didn’t like chaos in his tavern.

“I-I don’t know, everything is a bit fuzzy right now,” Wooyoung said, holding his head, his eyes closed. 

“He needs to sit, Seonghwa get someone to man the bar. We’re taking him to the back,” Hongjoong takes charge. Thirteen of them follow Hongjoong to the back room of the tavern, San and Yeosang at Wooyoung’s side. Mingi and Jongho create a barrier around Wooyoung to ensure no drunk partiers run into him and possibly worsen his injuries. Hongjoong opened the creaky door and everyone filed in. The room was spacious enough for fourteen bodies, there were a few couches, a television, and lamps scattered throughout the room. When the door shut, they were almost cut off from the noise of the bar, only hearing the muffled music.

“Turn on the lamps instead of the light, I don’t want it to be too bright in case he’s concussed,” Hongjoong said. Jeongin, who was next to one of the three lamps, turned the dial to switch it on. Yeosang and San lowered the injured boy onto one of the couches, placing a small decorative pillow under his head.

The music became clearer as Seonghwa entered the room, quickly closing the door behind him, he held a small bag in his hand. “Thank you,” Yunho said, moving forward to grab the black bag. Felix realized it was a first aid kit. Yunho pulled a small stool up to the side of the couch and sat down, setting the bag on the floor next to him.

“Wooyoungie, can you tell me exactly what happened?” Hongjoong asked gently, standing at Wooyoung’s head, his fingers carding through the younger's dark hair. “If you can’t it’s okay,” the older added, remembering that the memory was unclear at the moment.

“I remember following them for a while, there were only three of them out on the street. They definitely noticed me and broke off in three different directions so I picked one and followed. I tried to watch my surroundings, but I had to stay focused on the guy in front of me. He led me to the entrance of an alley and I realized I had to get out of there,” Wooyoung began, hissing in pain as Yunho assessed the bruises on his abdomen. 

“I turned around to leave, but when I turned,” he stopped, a memory playing in his eyes as he relived the experience. Yeosang knelt by his side, taking his hand to comfort him. “There was one right behind me. He pushed me into the alley. I don’t know if anyone else saw, but they wouldn’t have done anything anyways. Then there were six of them, one was missing. I tried to escape, and from there I don’t remember much. All I can recall is waking up alone in the alley and making my way back here,” he finished, squeezing Yeosang’s hand.

“Can someone go out and get me some ice? I wanna get this swelling under control,” Yunho asked, looking up at the group. 

“I can go!” Felix offered, being the closest to the door. San moves over to Felix.

“I’ll go with you,” San said, he looked a bit paranoid. Felix wondered if he wanted to check to see if anyone followed Wooyoung into the tavern. 

“Thank you,” Yunho smiled before looking back at Wooyoung who looked like he was beginning to doze off. San led Felix through the door and back into the main room of the tavern. The music filled Felix’s ears as he followed San through the crowd. The older male reached the bar and went behind the counter. He grabbed a plastic bag and filled it with ice.

When San turned around, he froze. “Hyung? What’s wrong?” Felix asked nervously. The older had his eyes trained in the direction of the door. Felix turned slowly to find what had caught San’s attention. There was a man in the doorway, a black hood covering the top half of his face, but his head was turned in the direction of the bar. 

“Pretty bold of them, showing up here after beating the shit out of Wooyoung like that,” San sneered, moving around the bar.

“San wait,” Felix jumped. San didn’t listen, he only shoved the bag of ice at Felix. San was walking right towards the mysterious man. Felix followed behind him, reaching to grab his wrist to somehow stop him. “Hyung, stop. Leave him alone,” Felix begged. After what happened to Wooyoung, he didn’t want to see San suffer too.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” San growled when he was right in front of the man. The man raised his head, dark hair fell in front of his dark eyes. What shocked Felix were the piercings on his face, one on his nose and the other below his right eye. The man didn’t say a word, he just grabbed San by the collar of his shirt and pulled him outside. Felix felt anger spark in his chest and he followed them out. Once they were away from people, Felix struck.

He ducked down out of view, his hand pressed against the ground as his leg shot out and kicked against the man’s ankle. He stumbled momentarily and released San’s shirt, giving Felix enough time to get to his feet. Felix jumped and kicked his right leg out, hitting the man in the chest. San grabbed the back of his sweatshirt and pulled him to the ground. Felix crouched over the man, a small switchblade that he had produced from his waistband centimeters from the man’s throat.

“Who are you?” Felix demanded, eyes narrowed with intensity. The man didn’t seem surprised, just a bit dazed from his head hitting the ground.

“Relax, I’m here to talk,” the man grumbled as if this situation inconvenienced him. San scoffed, throwing his arms up.

“You expect me to believe that shit when you dragged me outside and beat the shit out of my boyfriend?” San laughed. The man tries to push himself up but Felix moves forward, the blade digging into the man’s neck.

“I’ll admit, I was a bit aggressive,” the man began. San snorted in amusement. “But I have a message for Lee Minho,” he continued. Felix backed up a bit. Were they on the Resistance’s radar? It would make sense, but how much did they know.

“And what is that message?” Felix asked, removing his blade from the man’s throat. He kept it ready in case he needed it. 

“I can tell him myself,” the man said, trying to push himself up again.

“I don’t think anyone in there would like to speak with you right now my friend,” San pointed out.

“I apologize for our actions, we just had to be sure we weren’t being targeted by assassin’s. It’s quite common for us you know,” the man said honestly . Felix couldn’t argue with him about that.

“I would like to meet with him, the inn near the harbor. Tell them you are delivering grain and they’ll take you to me,” the man said.

“If he goes, the other six are going too,” Felix decided, getting off of the man. The man got off of the floor and brushed himself off.

“Thank you, tomorrow at 7 p.m., we’ll be waiting,” he said, moving to walk out of the mouth of the alley. Felix whipped around.

“Wait, what’s your name?” he asked. San stood at Feli’s side, awaiting the answer.

“Jaebum,” The man responded before disappearing into the crowd. Felix and San stood there, taking in what had just occurred. San turned to Felix and opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by a frantic voice.

“Felix? San? Where are you?” Changbin yelled. Felix jumped and began to jog to the front of the tavern, San following close behind. They turned the corner to see Changbin, Minho and Hongjoong searching through the people on the street.

“Binnie!” Felix yelled out, waving his arm. Changbin turned to him and let out a visible sigh, running toward Felix and enveloping him and his strong arms.

“What the hell happened?” Hongjoong asked, fixing the collar of San’s shirt.

“You have a meeting with the Resistance,” San said, looking at Minho. The group was silent for a moment, obviously confused.

“I need another drink,” Minho groaned.


	3. two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is being posted later than I wanted, but the election has been stealing my attention. It also took me forever to decide how I wanted to end this chapter.
> 
> But I finally figured it out! I hope you enjoy!

_Everything hurt._

_The ringing in his ears wouldn’t stop_

_What happened?_

_Oh yeah. The explosion._

_Voices._

_He heard voices. Muffled voices._

_He gained the strength to open his eyes and saw a man running towards him. As the man got closer, his face became clear. It was Jinyoung. He slowed to a stop and knelt down, reaching a hand out._

_“Jaebum! Here!” Jinyiung yelled. The ringing began to fade. He touched his forehead with shaky fingers. They came back covered in blood. The warm liquid dripped down his face._

_“Hey stay with me, we’re getting you out of here,” Jinyoung said comfortingly, placing a hand on his shoulder and moving closer. Someone appeared from the hallway and rushed in._

_Jaebum Hyung._

_He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer._

_He was so tired._

_Maybe he would just… take a nap._

It was early in the morning, around three, the tavern was closing up for the night. Minho sat at the bar, drink in hand, staring down at the table. Hongjoong closed and locked the doors of the tavern and made his way back to the bar to help Seonghwa finish cleaning. He began to pass Minho but stopped, moving to his side.

“You’re conflicted,” Hongjoong spoke, looking over at the older male. Minho didn’t look up, eyes trained at the table.

“I don’t trust them at all,” Minho said, straightening up as his back began to ache from being hunched over.

“I don’t either, but I still think it may be worth it to meet with them,” Hongjoong pointed out. Minho took a sip of his drink, not really feeling the burn of the alcohol in his throat. “They know we’re not trying to kill them, and they’re definitely interested in your work. I don’t think they would kill you,” he continued. Minho had to agree, he had a point. The soft music that now played inside the tavern kept Minho out of a daze.

“I’ll just have to make sure the others feel comfortable,” Minho said, rolling his sore shoulders. Something caught his eye from the staircase leading to the smaller, upper level of the tavern. It was Changbin. Minho considered Changbin to be his right hand man, he played a big role in decision making among the team. Even while grieving, Changbin always made sure everyone was okay.

Minho recalled a specific night. It had only been a few days since Chan’s death and Minho found himself alone, sitting on a bench right outside the inn they were staying at. His shoulders trembled as tears rolled down his cheeks. He wasn’t able to save one of his best friends. The guilt washed over him like a wave. Why didn’t he drag Chan with them? He could’ve done more to save him. If he had done something, anything, maybe Chan would be alive still.

A hand on his shoulder freed him from his thoughts. Minho jumped at the sudden contact. He looked over his shoulder to see Changbin standing behind him. His concerned eyes were red and swollen, but here he was, looking out for Minho.

“There was nothing you could've done,” Changbin said as if he was reading Minho’s mind. He sat down next to the older man.

“I could’ve brought him with us, he didn’t have to die,” Minho sniffled, looking down at his hands as his tears flowed. 

“When we were still in the warehouse…” Changbin began, getting choked up already. “He told me they may let him live if he turned himself in. I thought he would be okay when we left. He didn’t want Felix to watch because he thought they would just beat the shit out of him and Felix is sensitive to that kind of stuff,” he continued. Changbin began to cry again, tears slowly rolling down his face. “But they fucking shot him.”

Minho wrapped an arm around Changbin’s shoulders and pulled him close. “I think he knew there was a chance that they would just kill him, he just didn’t know they would do it then,” Changbin admitted. “I saw the look in his eyes, he was scared, hyung,” he said, dropping his hand into his hands, his elbows on his knees.

“I keep telling myself that he was just trying to protect us. He knew it would be better if it was just him dead and not four of us. But I wish I could’ve done something,” Minho explained. Changbin nodded in understanding.

“I know hyung,” Changbin said softly, his voice shaky as he attempted to control his tears. And then they cried. Minho, now the oldest, in charge of taking care of his family. And Changbin, one of the boys who had loved Chan fiercely, but focused more on the feelings of others then his own. Changbin deserved this, Minho thought. He was childhood friends with Chan but he hadn't been able to get his emotions out yet. Minho could tell he was relieved to be able to just let everything out.

The two boys would’ve passed out on that bench if Jisung and Felix didn’t go looking for them. Minho remembers Jisung’s gentle voice coaxing him onto his feet. Changbin clung to Felix’s chest as he walked.

Minho was brought out of his memory by Changbin’s voice.

“We have to meet with them,” he stated. Minho turned his head to face the younger. He let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes.

“I know,” Minho answered. He knew what they had to do. Changbin and Hongjoong were right, and Minho agreed. But that didn’t mean he was fond of it. Chanbin put a hand on Minho’s shoulder as the latter turned.

“You should come up and get some rest, it’s been a long day,” Changbin suggested. 

“Actually it’s only three in the morning, the day has been pretty short,” Minho joked, keeping a straight face. Changbin laughed and rolled his eyes before gently grabbed Minho’s bicep to lead him upstairs. Minho quickly downed the last bit of his drink and got to his feet.

“We’ll be up in a few,” Hongjoong called out as the two made their way to the stairs. Minho felt a bit light headed from the alcohol as he walked. Changbin got to the top of the stairs and grabbed the door, letting Minho in. The upstairs of the tavern was where Hongjoong and his group lived, and luckily the space was plenty big enough for the sixteen of them. His boys were passed out on the couches, a few on the floor with pillows and blankets. 

“Goodnight hyung, get some sleep,” Changbin said before going back to Felix who was laying on the floor. As Changbin got settled, Felix latched onto him. Minho smiled at the sight.

“Sleep well Binnie,” Minho says before finding Jisung on one of the couches. There was a space on the floor right next to the couch. As Minho sat down, Jisung tiredly opened his eyes.

“Hey baby, go back to sleep okay?” Minho said softly, brushing the hair out of Jisung’s eyes. Jisung groaned and took Minho’s hands, kissing his scarred knuckles. The scars were old, from Minho taking out his frustration on brick walls.

“I love you Minho,” Jisung smiled, it was as if he could sense Minho’s stress. Minho melted into Jisung’s palm as his hand traced his cheek. 

“I love you too,” Minho replied before laying down next to the couch. His weight sunk into the floor as exhaustion rolled over him in waves. He closed his eyes and sleep took over.

-x-

Hyunjin woke up feeling sore. His body was warm and heavy. As his eyes slowly opened, he found Seungmin and Jeongin on either side of him. Jeongin was curled up, his legs entangled with Hyunjin’s, head resting on his chest. Seungmin’s face was nestled into Hyunjin’s neck, an arm thrown over Hyunjin’s stomach. The floor was not a comfortable place to sleep, but he wouldn’t dream of complaining after Hongjoong offered to have them stay at the tavern overnight. 

Hyunjin’s slight stirring caused Seungmin to wake. His legs stiffened as he began to stretch his limbs. Hyunjin smiled and turned his head. “Good morning my love,” he whispered, still aware that Jeongin was still sleeping at his other side.

“Good morning Jinnie,” Seungmin said softly, his voice scratchy and lower than usual. He began to shift until he was propped up on his elbows, body still pressed close to Hyunjin’s. The blonde male brushed his nose against Seungmin’s before leaving a gentle kiss on his forehead. “How did you sleep?” Seungmin wondered, his eyes narrowed from the amount of light coming through the window.

“It wasn’t bad, I was definitely warm all night though. How about you Minnie?” Hyunjin wondered.

“My shoulder hurts a bit from laying on my side, but I didn’t really wake up much during the night,” Seungmin answered. Hyunjin nodded in response and pulled Seungmin close. “Careful, Innie is still asleep,” Seungmin whispered, trying hard not to laugh.

“Well I’m going to have to get up soon, you two were crushing me all night,” Hyunjin joked, chuckling at Seungmin’s appalled expression. “You know I’m kidding, my love,” he added, raising an eyebrow. 

“What if you weren’t,” Seungmin pouted, sitting up and crossing his arms. Hyunjin huffed. He began to slowly move himself from under Jeongin, putting a crumpled up blanket underneath the younger to keep him comfortable. Hyunjin sat up, facing Seungmin. He moved a bit closer to the other until their faces were mere centimeters away. Hyunjin just gazed into Seungmin’s eyes until the latter broke, laughing as the former made funny faces at him.

“Get away from me,” Seungmin huffed, playfully shoving Hyunjin away. The blonde male smiled and got to his feet. As he rose, he noticed Jeongin begin to stir. Hyunjin crouched down, his knees cracked from lack of use. His hand gently brushed over Jeongin’s shoulder. The younger buried his face into the blanket, soon realizing he was no longer cuddling his boyfriend. 

“Hyunjinnie,” Jeongin whined, hugging the blanket close.

“What, baby?” Hyunjin responded, still caressing the younger male’s arm. Jeongin eyes fluttered open, gazing up. Seungmin crawled over to Jeongin, gathering the youngest of the three in his arms.

“Good morning Innie,” Seungmin smiled into Jeongin’s neck. Jeongin groaned but melted into the older male’s arms. 

“Good morning boys,” said San who was walking by. His dark hair was still messy from sleeping.

“Good morning San hyung. How’s Wooyoung hyung?” Seungmin wondered, looking up from behind Jeongin. San let out a quick sigh.

“He’s doing okay. Yunho confirmed that he has a concussion, some bruised ribs. But other than that, just some minor cuts and bruises,” San explained. Hyunjin could see the tension in his muscles.

“Shit, they really did a number on him,” Seungmin grimaced, his hold on Jeongin tightening protectively. San nodded and ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it. 

“Hongjoong hyung picked up some food for everyone if you’re hungry. The tavern isn’t opening for a few hours anyway,” San informed the three. Hyunjin nodded, giving the older a slight bow.

“Thank you,” he said before San walked back to the space he shared with Yeosang and Wooyoung. Jeongin got out of Seungmin’s lap and pushed himself to his feet. He stretched his arms and let out a brief yawn. 

Hyunjin noticed that Minho and Jisung were both gone, probably downstairs. Felix was also nowhere to be seen. Changbin was cleaning up the space he had been occupying. He was folding blankets, placing pillows back where they came from.

“Have you eaten, hyung?” Hyunjin asked as he made his way towards Changbin. Changbin looked over his shoulder as he approached.

“I wasn’t really hungry,” Changbin answered, setting the last blanket on the top of the pile he had created. “Felix went down with Jisung and Minho,” he added.

“Are you hungry?” Seungmin asked his boyfriend. His hand found its way to the small of Hyunjin’s back. Jeongin made his way to Hyunjin’s other side.

“Kind of. Let’s go downstairs and see what Minho hyung’s plan is,” Hyunjin decided. He had almost forgotten about the proposed meeting with the Resistance group. Would Minho choose to meet with them or not?

The three leave Changbin, making their way down the stairs. Minho, Jisung and Felix were sitting at the bar. Hyunjin assumed it was the sound of their footsteps that caught Jisung’s attention. Said male turned and smiled, waving at the three. Hyunjin got to the bar and pulled out a chair next to Jisung who had just finished shoveling the last of his bagel into his mouth.

“You are so nasty,” Hyunjin snorted. Jisung shot him a playful glare and continued to chew his food. Minho noticed the three joining them and slid the bag of bagels down the table.

“Thank you hyung!” Jeongin smiled, already digging through the bag. Hyunjin turned to look at Minho, the older could tell where their conversation would go. Hongjoong, who had been talking with Felix, looked over to wave at the three who had taken a seat at the bar.

“I just grabbed an assortment of bagels from the bakery, eat whatever you would like,” Hongjoong smiled before going back to his conversation with Felix. Jeongin pulled what looked like a chocolate chip bagel from the bag and passed it to Seungmin. Hyunjin shifted his focus over to Minho who was still staring at him.

“We’re meeting with them,” Minho answered the question he knew Hyunjin wanted to ask. Hyunjin sucked in a quick breath and nodded. He had no trust for the men who could’ve killed Wooyoung. He was sure Minho didn’t trust them either. “You don’t have to go if you aren’t comfortable. I’m giving everyone the choice,” he added, noticing Hyunjin’s discomfort. Hyunjin shook his head.

“I’ll go,” he reassured Minho. What if something happened to those who went? Hyunjin wouldn’t be able to do anything to help them. He had to go.

“Are you sure?” Minho asked.

“I’m sure,” Hyunjin responded. Seungmin passed the bag of bagels over to Hyunjin who thanked him quietly. He looked through the bag and pulled out a salt bagel. He didn’t end up eating much, too nervous over the meeting scheduled for later that day.

-x-

When they returned home, the mood was heavy. The seven boys were gathered in the living room, but no one said a word. They were all conflicted. They knew the right thing to do, but the right thing wouldn’t be the easiest.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t want to go?” Minho asked, looking up to survey the room. No one responded verbally, just a few shaking heads gave the answer. “Alright, we will hear them out, put the past to the side and listen to what they have to say,” he said, addressing the group. Once again, no verbal response. Minho sighed, looking over at the clock on the wall. 

“We leave in an hour, take some time to relax. Before we head out, don’t heavily arm yourselves. Felix, bring a knife. Hyunjin too, just in case,” Minho said. He knew they would probably ask them to disarm themselves before the meeting, but going in with something just made Minho feel a bit safer. 

The boys didn’t move from the living room, the presence of the others was reassuring. They had always done things as a family. With something as big as a meeting with a Resistance group occurring in a short time, they needed to be together. Jisung curled into Minho’s side, his fingers playing with the soft fabric of Minho’s black t-shirt. He gazed down at his boyfriend, his own fingers finding their way to Jisung’s hair. He ran his hand through the other’s brown locks, knowing he enjoyed that feeling. It was confirmed by the way Jisung melted into Minho’s side. 

They didn’t talk much as they sat in the room together, or as they got ready. They dressed in normal street clothes, Felix and Hyunjin hiding blades in their waistbands or shirt sleeves. Minho pulled a grey hoodie over his head, tucking his small revolver into the waistband of his jeans. Jisung gazed over at him and frowned. Minho noticed and cocked his head to the side in confusion.

“Do you really think we should arm ourselves?” Jisung wondered. Minho honestly had no definite answer.

“No, I’m sure we’ll be fine. I just feel safer with a weapon for now,” he replied. Jisung nodded slowly as he put on an old jean jacket. 

Once the group was ready, Minho did a quick headcount and they were off. It was about 6:45, fifteen minutes before the meeting. Minho felt a pit start to form in his stomach. Questions filled his head as he walked. What would they do during this meeting? What questions would they be asked? Would the Resistance group try to recruit them? Minho was brought out of his own head when he felt himself run into someone.

Jeongin stumbled to the side a bit. “Shit, I’m sorry Innie,” he apologized with a frown.

“It’s okay hyung. Are you stressed?” the youngest questioned. Minho was silent for a moment. Was it that obvious?

“You get really in your head when you’re stressed,” Jisung said, taking Minho’s hand in his own and lacing their fingers together. 

“I’m sorry guys,” Minho apologized before they began their journey to the harbor. Once again, there were the normal amount of soldiers patrolling the streets. Restaurants were beginning to fill for dinner which made Minho realize that he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. After making their way through the busier part of the town, they arrived at the harbor.

“There’s only one inn right next to the water, it must be where they are,” Changbin said. Minho nodded and looked around. Then he spotted it, the Harbor Inn. It sat just past the entrance to the harbor, right by the water. The salty sea breeze was gentle and calming.

“Alright, here we go,” Minho announced, leading his family towards the inn. When he reached the door, it opened it to allow the others in first. Before he walked in, he scanned the area for anyone following them. After closing the door, he made his way to the front desk. There was a young woman sitting behind the desk.

“How can I help you?” she wondered, her voice monotone with boredom.

“I’m here to deliver grain,” Minho said, just like Jaebum had said. The girl perked up a bit and nodded. She tapped on the bell on her desk in a certain pattern before tucking it away again. It wasn’t long before the group was approached. The man who approached from the hallway beside the front desk was slightly taller than Minho. He had longer dark hair that framed his face but still fell into his eyes. He had a piercing in his nose and below his right eye.

“Thank you for coming,” he said, bowing to the visitors. “My name is Im Jaebum, I run this branch of the Resistance,” he introduced himself.

“Lee Minho, thank you for inviting us,” Minho responded, reciprocating the bow to the Resistance leader. Jaebum made a motion for them to follow him down the hall.

“I apologize for getting off on the wrong foot, we’ve lost too many by being careless,” Jaebum said, turning his head so the group can hear him. When they reached the door at the end of the hall, Jaebum opened it to reveal a staircase. He held the door for the others to follow. The air was colder as they descended. At the bottom of the staircase, there was another man waiting for them. His features were sharp and he had a muscular build.

“Before you enter, I’m going to need you to hand over your weapons,” he announced, holding out a cloth bag. Minho expected this and gave his group a nod to hand over the few weapons they brought. Felix and Hyunjin handed their knives to Minho who dropped them in the bag before he pulled his revolver from his waistband. He slowly handed it over, showing that he would make no moves to shoot. 

“This is Jackson, all braun, no brains,” Jaebum said with a smile. The man, Jackson punched him gently in the arm. “I’m kidding,” Jaebum sighed. Jackson opened the door for them to enter the next room. Minho had to admit, the playful mood of the two relieved some of his stress. The room they entered was quite large. The walls were light gray. There were computers and television screens on the far wall and a meeting table towards the left. 

“Come on in,” Jaebum invited. Minho led the group into the room, aware that Jisung had grabbed his arm and was clinging onto him. A tall, lean man waved them over to the table.

“My name is Mark, it’s nice to meet you,” he said kindly. Minho felt Jisung relax. The group took a seat at the table, as did Jaebum, Jackson and Mark.

“Thank you for having us again. I’m Minho, this is Jisung, Changbin, Felix, Hyunjin, Jeongin and Seungmin,” Minho introduced his team before sitting back down in his seat.

“We have a few things to discuss, the rest of my team is…” Jaebum trailed off for a moment before regaining composure. “They’re a bit busy at the moment but they should be here shortly,” he finished. Minho could see the distressed look on his face.

“Alright, first order of business,” Jaebum begins.

“We want you to join the Resistance.”  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, next chapter.
> 
> Someone is being reintroduced. Hehe
> 
> So look forward to that!


	4. three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer since it does contain a lengthy flashback. This flashback won't be italicized but I will mark where it is.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_ “Is there a medical team on standby?” A voice asked. _

_ He opened his eyes, he felt the sting of the bright lights. _

_ “Mark hyung has a team ready, we’re five minutes out,” another voice responded. “He’s awake,” the same voice announced. Someone’s face hovers over him, blocking the bright light and allowing him to open his eyes. _

_ “Jaebum, keep pressing the towel to the wound, he’ll bleed out.”  _

_ He recognized the voice. It must be Jinyoung. _

_ His body jolted as he coughed. He could feel liquid splatter against his face, dripping down his chin. His body ached, pain flared in his side and his head. _

_ “Shit. Jackson you have to go faster,” Jinyoung shouts. They must be driving. _

_ After what felt like an eternity, he heard doors opening. The ringing in his ears drowned out the voices for a moment.  _

_ Next thing he knew, he was being lifted and placed on a hard surface, the wind hitting him as he moved. _

_ “Oh my god please tell me he’s alive.” It’s Bambam, he was here. _

_ “We’ll take him from here,” a new voice said. _

_ He couldn’t stay conscious much longer. The pain was too much. He let sleep overtake him once again. _

“We want you to join the Resistance.”

Felix had a feeling they would say that, but not so soon. Minho looked down for a moment, taking a deep breath.

“And why would we do that?” It was Changbin that spoke up, eyes narrowed slightly at Jaebum. 

“We have the same agenda, removing the corrupt from power to protect the people. This is a chance to work under better protection,” Jaebum explained. His words made Felix’s heart ache. Work under protection?

“Chan didn’t have that protection when he was murdered,” Felix spoke under his breath. Mark turned his attention to the dark haired male. His gaze was gentle, searching for an explanation.

“What?” Jackson asked, there was a hint of defensiveness in his tone. Felix didn’t miss the way Jaebum jabbed him in the back with his fist as a call to stand down. 

“A friend of ours, Bang Chan. We lived in Northpass together. Two years ago, soldiers from the Capitol raided the town and burnt it to the ground. They were there looking for Chan who was part of the Resistance. They shot him in the back,” Minho explained, his fists clenched as he recalled the painful memory. Jaebum listened and nodded his head in understanding. 

“We can’t make it to everyone in time. Everytime the Capitol gets wind of a Resistance member, they refortify their systems. We have to hack our way in every time and they don’t make it any easier,” Mark began. Felix could tell their story had effected him by the way he spoke. “By the time we heard that he was compromised, the soldiers were closing in on the town,” he added. Felix’s brow furrowed.

“Did you know Chan?” He wondered. Had these people had relationships with Chan as well.

“He trained with us for a while,” it was Jaebum who spoke this time. “He was supposed to join our team but they sent him on a solo mission to Northpass for a few years. Since it’s a big trading town, lots of information passes through. Other Resistance members would stop by every so often to check up on him and get the new information from him,” he continued.

“He was supposed to come back to us a month after it happened,” Mark lamented.

The room went silent. They had been wrong about the Resistance. These people had known Chan, they had wanted to save Chan. But they were too late. Felix watched as Minho’s shoulders fell. 

“I apologize for the misunderstanding,” Minho said, bowing his head.

“There’s no need. I understand that at the moment it must’ve looked bad because we weren’t there for him. You were grieving and angry, that’s a completely valid thought,” Jaebum conceded. Felix felt his heart ache. Changbin’s hand reached out to Felix and their fingers intertwined.

“So if we were to join the Resistance, what would that entail?” Minho questioned, returning them to the previous conversation.

“We would all go back to our main headquarters to prepare?” Jaebum said.

“Prepare for what?” Changbin asked, still tightly holding onto Felix’s hand.

“The Resistance is putting together it’s final plan to overthrow the government. There’s still a bit of planning left to do, so in the meantime they council would probably send you on a few missions to get a feel for how the Resistance works, and when the time comes, we take down the government,” Jinyoung answered. Minho nodded, taking in all the details of the offer. 

-

_ He slowly began to wake. He was laying on a mattress. Where was he? He wasn’t in the compound, he knew that. His memory was fuzzy. He needed to get back to the compound. He willed for his eyes to open, once they did, he took in his surroundings. He was in a regular room, not a prison cell. Did his captors underestimate him? _

_ He pushed himself up and off of the bed, wincing in pain. He looked down as he lifted his shirt. As he moved, the back of his neck ached. He saw the stitches in his side holding a giant gash together. The bruising across his abdomen made him cringe. But he continued on, making it to the door. It was unlocked. So he opened it. _

_ He stepped into the empty hallway, his eyes adjusting to the bright lights. He decided to go right and used the wall for support. How was he going to make it out of here? While lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the footsteps rapidly approaching from behind. _

_ “...an hey! You’re awake! What the hell are you doing out of bed?” The voice became clearer as it spoke. He whirled around and pushed the person away, a panicked look in his eyes. _

_ “What the hell man. it’s just me, Bambam. Did you hit your head and forget me?” The man, Bambam, joked. _

_ “Where the hell am I?” he sneered. He cursed himself for not bothering to find himself a weapon. Bambam backed up a step at the sudden outburst. _

_ “You’re back at headquarters, we got you out of the compound,” Bambam responded, taking a step closer. He continued to move closer, and closer.  _

_ Too close. _

_ He lunged at Bambam, ignoring the searing pain coursing through his body. The two tumbled to the floor. Bambam lay under him, his eyes wide with disbelief. _

_ “What the hell? Jaebum hyung!” Bambam yelled. He quickly covered the others mouth to stop his cries for help.  _

_ “I’m not supposed to be here, I would die before betraying the Capitol,” he growled, the hand covering Bambam’s mouth moved to his throat. _

_ “Please don’t do this Ch-,” Bambam was cut off by another voice. _

_ “Release him,” the voice demanded. He looked up at the newcomers. There were three of them, all pointing guns at him. His breath got caught in his throat which caused him to cough. Specks of blood landed on his arm and on Bambam’s shirt. _

_ “You reopened your wound,” a soft voice said. He looked up again to see a man crouching down, still a decent distance away from him. He looked so familiar, why didn’t he remember his name?  _

_ What was happening? These people, Bambam, they were familiar. This place was familiar. Where was he?  _

_ “Relax, I got you,” it was Youngjae’s voice. _

_ Headquarters. _

_ The compound. _

_ The Resistance. _

_ His friends had saved him.  _

_ He looked down at Bambam, horrified at what he had just done. “Oh my god,” he whispered, releasing the other immediately. _

_ “What happened to me?” he cried out. Bambam pulled himself from under his attacker.  _

_ “The chip they had implanted in your neck worked as a brainwashing agent, I’m not surprised that it’s still affecting you,” Jaebum explained, kneeling down next to him. “Come on, let’s go back to your room and I’ll call Mark to check up on you alright?” the older asked. He nodded, his body trembling in Jaebum’s protective hold. _

_ - _

Jaebum, Mark and Jinyoung had left them alone for a minute to take care of a few things around the makeshift base. “So, what do we do?” it was Seungmin who said the first words. No one responded. Everyone wanted to wait to hear what the others would say.

“I think we should join them,” Felix said honestly. No one jumped in shock or questioned his choice. They all knew what they should do, they just wanted to hear it from the rest of the group first. 

“I agree, we are basically fighting for the same thing. The only difference is that they have the resources to complete our end goal,” Hyunjin added. 

“Right, I think it would be a smart play to join them. We wouldn’t have to sneak around and pray that soldiers don’t recognize us,” Minho shared.

“Ah, I can’t wait to free myself of this anxiety,” Jisung said dramatically, leaning back in his chair. Felix giggled at him and ran a hand through his hair. 

“Alright, all in favor of joining the Resistance? If you’re unsure, don’t be afraid to say anything, we will hear you out,” Minho spoke, gazing around at the group. Everyone had their hands raised in favor. “Okay, I’ll let Jaebum know when he comes back.

It didn’t take long for Jaebum to return. As he approached them, he was followed by someone the group hadn’t met yet. “This is Bambam, another member of my field team,” Jaebum introduced the newcomer. Felix bowed his head in greeting. “Have you decided? It’s no rush so if you need more time you can take as much as you need,” he continued. 

“We’ve decided. We’ll join,” Minho announced. Jaebum smiled and bowed to show his appreciation. 

“Thank you for allowing us to explain, I’m excited to have you join us. We’ve been keeping an eye on you for quite a bit,” Jaebum admitted. 

“We hadn’t realized your affiliation with the tavern owner and his group though… Kinda dumb of us,” Bambam mentioned, scratching his head in embarrassment. 

“I’ll introduce you to the remaining members of my team in just a moment, but first I think there is something you all might want to see,” Jaebum hinted. He began to move away from the table and towards the other side of the room. 

“What is it?” Jeongin wondered as he got up from his seat. He did not get a response as the group followed the two Resistance members. Felix walked beside Changbin wondering what they would want to show them. Jaebum opened the door at the other side of the room and led them down a short hallway. There were a few doors lining the walls. Bambam moved ahead of Jaebum and grabbed the door handle. He knocked a few times to alert whoever was inside.

“Hey bud, it’s Bam, I have a few people here to see you,” Bambam announced before opening the door. Felix entered the room and his heart immediately dropped into his stomach.

There were three men in the room.

And he was just there. 

He was seated on the bed. His hair was cut short and dyed dark. A scar ran from his left temple to just below his cheekbone. There were bags under his eyes that indicated the lack of sleep. He was dressed in a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants. There were white bandages wrapped around his forearms. Felix couldn’t speak, the sight in front of him had stolen his voice. 

“Chan hyung?” Jeongin sputtered. 

The man sitting on the bed was on his feet not even a second later. His arms wrapped around Felix so tightly, hurriedly pulling Changbin in as well.

“You-you’re alive,” Changbin breathed out. Felix could feel his shoulders shake as they took in the situation. Felix couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. He felt the others surround them, joining in on the group hug. Felix couldn’t believe what was happening. Chan was here, Chan was alive. He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, all eight of them wrapped in each other's embrace. 

Once they did begin to release each other, Chan cupped Changbin’s face, kissing him lovingly. As he pulled away, he wiped Changbin’s tears and placed another kiss on his forehead before moving to Felix. Felix kissed him, almost breaking down in his embrace. When they pulled away, Felix wished for Chan to say something, he needed to hear the others voices. 

“I’m sorry,” was the first thing Chan said, tears falling down his cheeks. 

“For what? You don’t have to apologize,” Changbin responded, burying himself into Chan’s side. 

“For not seeing you sooner,” Chan answered. After comforting Changbin and Felix. Chan went to give everyone a proper hug. The others were crying as well, all of them in shock.

“It’s really good to see you again,” Minho laughed as he wiped his tears, pulling Chan into a tight embrace.

“I missed you all so much,” Chan stated as Minho released him.

“Hyung, how did you survive?” Jisung inquired. Chan gazed over at him and laughed softly.

“It’s still all pretty fuzzy to me, maybe Jaebum hyung can give you the details,” Chan admitted as he rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, he winced, his hand moving to his head. One of the other men who had been in the room with Chan before they had entered rushed over, leading Chan over to the bed.

“Is he okay? What’s wrong?” Changbin panicked, moving towards the bed where Chan was now seated. 

“This happens a lot, not as often as it used to. He’s still affected by the Capitol’s brainwashing tech,” the man explains, gently massaging Chan’s temples to ease the pain. 

“This is Youngjae and that’s Yugyeom, the last two members of my field team,” Jaebum says introducing the man helping Chan and the other sitting next to him on the bed. Youngjae shot the group a quick smile before turning back to Chan. Yugyeom waved his hand in greeting.

“So what exactly happened to him?” Minho asked, taking a seat on the floor near the bed. 

“It’s kind of a long story, but I’ll tell if Chan is okay with it,” Jaebum says, looking over at the man seated on the bed. He nodded as Youngjae finished massaging his temples. He scooted over as Chan motioned for Felix and Changbin. Felix gladly cuddled up to Chan, enjoying his warmth. 

“Alright, let’s start with when we found out he had been compromised,” Jaebum begins.

*flashback*

“I need these files open and I need them open now,” Jaebum ordered, staring down at one of the computers as the multiple Resistance hackers attempted to break through the newest defenses the Capitol had set up to prevent outsiders from hacking into their systems. The Resistance always got through in the end, this time it was just taking a bit longer. There wasn’t time to be in the dark, they needed to know whose life was at stake. Every second that passed made Jaebum nervous.

“I’m in,” one of the hackers called out, immediately moving from the computer screen as Jaebum ran over. Jinyoung followed close behind as Jaebum clicked on the file he was searching for. There was one name.

Bang Chan.

“I need to know when the soldiers were dispatched and their ETA,” Jaebum demanded. They couldn’t get to Chan, Jaebum wouldn’t allow it. The hacker gets back to work to find the requested information.

“Jaebum, he’s going to be fine, we’ll get to him,” Jinyoung said, attempting to calm the other male down. 

“They were dispatched at 1600 hours, their ETA is 1800 hours,” the hacker announced. 

“What time is it now?” Jinyoung asked, starting to fidget nervously. 

“It’s 5:30, 1750 hours,” the hacker replied. Jaebum’s heart dropped. They were a good hour and a half away from Northpass where Chan was stationed. 

“Jinyoung call for the team, we’re leaving ASAP,” Jaebum said. Jinyoung didn’t question him, he just turned to run, pulling out his walkie talkie to radio to the team. Jaebum knew the way to Northpass, he would drive them there. He made his way to the armory, grabbing himself a vest, his two pistols and a dagger. One by one, the other members of the team came in, quickly gathering what they would need.

No one spoke, they were usually silent as they prepared for missions. It was a short walk from the armory to the garage where all the vehicles were kept. Jaebum took the keys from one of the workers on duty who had been ready for the team's arrival. The armored vehicle was prepared for them. They wasted no time filing into the back of the van while Jaebum and Jinyoung sat up front. Jaebum put the key into the ignition and began to maneuver the van out of the garage.

“What time is it?” Jaebum asked, his eyes glued to the road. The roadway was hidden by dense forest, making it difficult to find. 

“5:40, our ETA is 7:06, could be less because of speed,” Jinyoung responded. Jaebum pressed his foot against the gas to accelerate. They had to make it in time.

“Hyung where are we going?” Yugyeom asked as he sharpened his throwing knives. Jinyoung looked at Jaebum for a moment and realized he would not be answering the question.

“Chan’s been compromised,” Jinyoung announced. The mood in the van changed.

“Channie? How? He’s always so careful,” Bambam spoke up, he looked distraught as Jaebum looked through the rearview mirror. 

“We don’t know, but I’m sure he’ll get himself out of there,” Jinyoung responded. Jaebum slowed for a moment to turn before speeding up again. They had no time to waste, they had to get to Northpass as soon as possible.

As the ride continued, Jaebum constantly asked for the time as he checked his speed. They were on a main road which meant they had to be more careful. Usually government patrols didn’t come out to the main roads but they always had to stay vigilant. 

“Time?” Jaebum asked, his stomach hurt because of the anxiety that had built up over time.

“6:00, our ETA is 6:58,” Jinyoung replied. Jaebum slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

“Shit,” he cursed. The soldiers would be descending on Northpass at any time. They were going to be a bit late, but hopefully Chan would escape. He was capable of getting away. Youngjae, who was on the end of the bench closest to Jinyoung, reached his hand out to the older. Jinyoung took his hands, placing a kiss on his palm.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Jinyoung promised.

Everything wasn’t fine. 

When they entered the town of Northpass, it was mostly burnt to the ground. There weren’t many bodies out on the streets. There were a few that looked like they had tried to crawl out of the burning buildings. It seemed like the soldiers planned to kill one target. 

“Everyone break into groups, search everything you can,” Jaebum ordered. It was him and Youngjae, Mark and Jinyoung, and Bambam, Yugyeom and Jackson.

Jaebum and Youngjae walked down the main road, watching as the buildings slowly stopped burning or crumbled to the ground. “Do you think he’s okay?” Youngjae asked, holding his gun out in front of him as they walked.

“He could be hiding somewhere, I think Mark and Jinyoung went to check the forest,” Jaebum said. He wanted to believe that Chan was okay, but the Capitol soldiers had retreated. That wasn’t a good sign. Jaebum whipped around, a creaking noise getting his attention. When the source of the sound came into sight, he realized it was just a swinging door that led into what used to be a bakery. 

They continued to search, calling out Chan’s name until they lost their voices. If he was nearby, he would’ve heard them. And he wasn’t among the few that were dead in the streets. He knew the protocol, he wouldn’t have run from Northpass. If an undercover agent was compromised and escaped Capitol forces, they were required to remain in the area until a team came to extract them.

An answer to Jaebum’s question would soon be uncovered.

“Jaebum hyung!” Bambam yelled out. Jaebum turned towards the direction of Bambam’s voice. Youngjae began to cough from the amount of smoke in the air, using his shirt to cover his nose and mouth. They couldn’t stay long, the smoke would begin to affect them all. Jaebum put an arm around Youngjae’s shoulders and led him back to Bambam’s group. The smoke lingered in the air in the absence of wind.

“What,” Jaebum wondered, looking around at the ground. Jackson was kneeling down, staring at the ground. Jaebum knelt next to him. There was something dried on the cobblestone. There was enough of it to spill onto the gravel on the side of the road. It was dark and had a reddish tint on the gravel.

“It’s blood, but there’s no body nearby,” Jackson pointed out. Jaebum felt his blood run cold. If Mark and Jinyoung had no leads, they would have to assume…

“Nothing in the forest, did you guys find anything?” Mark announced from down the road. Jaebum gazed up defeatedly.

“We found blood,” Yugyeom said as the two got closer. Jaebum watched as their expressions changed, they had come to the same conclusion.

“They took him,” Jaebum concluded.

-

A year and a half.

That’s how long it took to locate Chan.

It was early in the morning when the news reached Jaebum. He was still in bed, Youngjae curled up at his side. Jinyoung was on the other side of the bed, one arm thrown over Youngjae’s waist. A knock at the door woke them. Jaebum rubbed his eyes and began to sit up in bed, careful not to disturb the other two. Youngjae turned onto his back, his arms covering his face as he began to wake. 

Jaebum got up and walked over to the door. He opened it and found Jackson standing outside. “It’s early you know,” Jaebum chuckled, glancing back at the clock that hung on the wall. 6:37 in the morning.

“Chan has been located,” Jackson told him. He looked hopeful and relieved. That got Jaebum’s attention. It also caused Jinyoung and Youngjae to start paying attention. “He’s at some place they call the Facility,” Jackson continued.

“Do we know why he might be there?” Jaebum asked. He heard someone getting out of bed and making their way towards the doorway.

“We have an idea, since the Facility has been rumored to have produced technology to neutralize prisoners,” Jackson frowned. Jaebum furrowed his brow in confusion.

“What do you mean by neutralize?” it was Jinyoung’s voice from beside him.

“It basically is brainwashing. From what Bambam was able to find, it’s a device that gets attached to the back of the neck and connects to the spinal cord. The device sends certain frequencies to the brain and makes the victim compliant,” Jackson explained. The thought of it sent shivers down Jaebum’s spine. They were brainwashing Chan? What for? He could only guess.

“I’ll be in the control room in an hour at the latest, make sure the team meets there as soon as possible,” Jaebum decided, turning back into the room. 

“Where are you going?” Youngjae inquired, now sitting up in bed.

“I’m gonna get permission from the Council to infiltrate the Facility and get him out. I’m gonna need you guys to get some information on this place,” Jaebum clarified. Jackson nodded and left the room. The three got dressed for the day and set off to begin their mission.

-

It didn’t take much persuading to get permission from the Council. Chan was extremely talented and the Resistance had been hurt by his capture. They authorized Jaebum to lead thirty men to the Facility to get Chan back and destroy the place and hopefully all the technology inside.

The Facility was decently guarded. A four man patrol circled the perimeter at all times. They had snipers on the rooftops all day besides a thirty minute window starting at 8:30 at night. There was a ten foot tall electric fence that surrounded the main building, but the fence did not receive regular care. There was a corner in the fence that was starting to tear apart because of how old it was. The forest was dense enough to keep a large group hidden.

The plan was to rig the place with explosives to destroy the technology. But before detonation, Jaebum’s team plus a few more soldiers would infiltrate to find Chan.

Everything was going according to plan. They had all the gear necessary, the explosives would do the amount of damage required, they had their time frame to get inside. They were prepared.

For this mission, everyone was fully armed. Bulletproof vests, military grade rifles, handguns and knives. Jaebum had to admit he was a bit nervous, but in the end it would be worth it, they would have Chan back with them again. Jaebum stood in the garage, watching the Resistance soldiers load all the explosives into the vehicles. They were scheduled to depart in seven minutes. The nerves distracted Jaebum, they kept him lost in his own thoughts. 

“Bummie, are you alive in there?” Jinyoung asked, waving a hand in front of Jaebum’s face to get his attention. Jaebum jumped as he noticed the man in front of him. His gaze focused quickly and he nodded his head.

“Yeah, just anxious,” Jaebum admitted. Jinyoung nodded in understanding and wrapped his arms around the others neck. Jaebum’s arms found their way around Jinyoung’s waist to hug him back.

“We’re going to bring Channie home, I promise you. Now let’s get to the van, the others are waiting for us,” Jinyoung reassured him. Jaebum nodded and released Jinyoung before they both made their way to the van they were taking to the Facility. The other members of the team were gathered outside. They looked like they were ready for war. The last of the supplies was being loaded into the vehicles, it was almost time to head out. Jaebum gazed around at his team. 

“Alright team, let’s go,” Jaebum nodded. He approached Youngjae and quickly kissed him on the forehead before heading to the front of the van with Jinyoung. As they prepared to leave, he prayed for no complications, they would be in and out in no time.

Of course his prayers weren’t answered. 

The infiltration team was successful as they entered the Facility. The other team focused on rigging the outside walls with explosives. Mark hung back at the vans with one other medic and two soldiers. As the team of thirteen entered the building, Jaebum sent smaller groups different ways to cover more ground. He led Bambam and Youngjae down a brightly lit corridor. From the blueprints they had found, this hallway led to the holding cells. Jaebum assumed the brainwashed prisoners were kept in the holding cells. 

They walked slowly down the hall, guns raised in front of them. Bambam watched their backs, turning every few seconds to check if they were being followed. They had already taken out two guards, leaving their unconscious bodies in an empty storage room. 

They approached a corner, it would lead to the main hallway where the holding cells were located. Jaebum took one side while Youngjae took the other. They cautiously peered into the hall. Jaebum counted two guards at the end of the hallway opposite of him. Youngjae motioned that he counted four. That could be a problem. They didn’t have time to wait until the guards left. They had to act soon. Jaebum moved back to avoid being seen and motioned at his teammates. He only waited a second before banging on the wall. He heard footsteps from the hallway as Youngjae and Bambam moved to his side of the corridor, facing the direction of the two guards. Once the guards were in sight, Jaebum shot, taking the two out, leaving four.

The four guards were closer than Jaebum anticipated. One of them turned the corner, gun raised. He fired a quick shot, aiming for Jaebum who quickly rolled out of the way. Youngjae fired next, hitting the man in the leg. The guard yelled out in pain. Jebum used the butt of his gun to knock the guard out. The other three finally turned the corner. At the sight of the three intruders, they fired their guns. There was no cover to hide behind. They had to just move and hope they wouldn’t get hit. Jaebum ran around until he was behind the guards. Youngjae and Bambam had moved closer as well once the gunfire ended. One of the guards turned to engage with Jaebum. The flash of a knife caused Jaebum to spring back, pulling out his own blade. 

Once he regained his balance, he stepped forward, jabbing at the man’s side. The guard dodged and spun around, kicking his leg into Jaebum’s hip. As he stumbled, he threw his knife, hitting the guard in the shoulder. Jaebum pulled his handgun from his holster and shot, the bullet piercing through the man’s chest. Bambam and Youngjae were still engaged in fights, they held off using guns to minimize the noise. Bambam’s next strike hit home as he leapt at the guard, knife buried in his abdomen. Youngjae quickly ended his battle, his elbow striking the guard in the head. The guard was out like a light, falling to the ground like a rock. Youngjae preferred to avoid killing depending on the situation. He hadn’t escaped unscathed. There was a rip in his long sleeve black shirt. Blood soaked the surrounding fabric.

“What happened Jae,” Jaebum asked, gently taking the younger’s arm to inspect the wound. Bambam was pulling a roll of bandages from his small pack. 

“He got me pretty good with his knife, I’ll be okay,” Youngjae reassured the leader. Bambam used his own blade, the guards blood being cleaned off beforehand, and cut the bottom half of his sleeve off. He then wrapped the bandages around Youngjae’s forearm. 

“Are you good Bam?” Jaebum asked, noticing a bruise that had started to form on Bambam’s cheek. 

“Yep, he landed a few punches but that’s it. But you’re bleeding too hyung,” Bambam noticed. Jaebum followed his gaze down to his leg, there was a small graze on the outside of his right leg. 

“I didn’t even feel it, I still don’t,” Jaebum said as he knelt down to inspect it. “It’s not bleeding too much, let’s hurry and find Chan,” he added. The three go back to the mission at hand. As they make their way down the hallway, they look inside each cell. Most of them are empty. Actually, all of them are empty.

Except for one.

Inside the last cell was Chan. He was sitting on the prison style bed, staring at the bars that kept him inside. His hair was getting long. It was no longer blonde, but it hung in front of his eyes. 

“We found him, start evacuating and prepare for detonation,” Jaebum announced. The earpiece he wore picked up his voice.

“Channie?” Bambam spoke. His voice cracked as he gazed into the cell. Chan’s eyes were blank. He didn’t recognize them.

“What’s your name?” Jaebum asked, hoping to get a response out of the imprisoned man. 

“Soldier CB97, what are my orders?” Chan asked monotonously. The brainwashing technology. They had to do something about it. 

“Come with me, we will discuss your mission,” Jaebum responded. He tried to sound authoritative to gain Chan’s trust. Chan stood and made his way to the door. Bambam had already picked the lock and opened the door. As Chan stepped out he noticed the bodies of the guards on the ground in the middle of the hallway. He reacted immediately. He jumped away from the three, fists balled.

“Who are you?” Chan growled, his eyes dark. Jaebum caught a glimpse of the device attached to the back of his neck. Jaebum put his hands out to show that he wasn’t a threat. 

“We’re here to help you, now come with us,” Jaebum said calmly. He saw Youngjae reaching for his gun and he shook his head. 

“Jaebum do you copy?” Jinyoung’s voice comes over his earpiece.

“Yes, how much time left?” Jaebum responded, his finger pressed to his ear. Chan glared at him skeptically.

“Five minutes until detonation, hurry,” Jinyoung informed him. Jaebum focuses his gaze back on Chan. He looked uncertain as he began to back away, looking for an escape. 

“Chan don’t!” Bambam yelled out as Chan took his chance and bolted down the hall. 

“Shit,” Jaebum cursed. The three immediately took off after him. But they had no clue where they were going anymore. Chan knew the layout better than he did. They continued to search. Jaebum became frustrated as time passed. They had to get out of there, and quick. But they had to get Chan.

“Jaebum, less than a minute and this place is going down. Where are you?” Jinyoung panicked over the earpiece. He could hear rumbling on the other end. Was Jinyoung inside?

“Chan ran off, we don’t know where he is,” Jaebum panted. He was out of breath but he couldn't stop now. As they ran, they passed the bodies of other Capitol guards that the other teams had encountered. 

Suddenly, the whole building shook. A loud boom sounded through the Facility. The bombs were being detonated. But Jaebum refused to leave until he had Chan. Chunks of concrete fell from the walls and ceiling as the bombs continued to detonate. Down the hall,a bomb detonated, Jaebum could feel the heat. The ceiling in front of them collapsed causing them to stumble back. 

“Jaebum! Here!” a voice called out. That was Jinyoung’s voice. 

“You two go and wait for us outside, we won’t be long,” Jaebum turned. He saw the look on Youngjae’s face, he wanted to protest. But he also knew the situation they were in.

“You two better come back to me, and bring Channie,” Youngjae yelled, hoping Jinyoung would hear as well. Then the two younger men turned and ran. Jaebum maneuvered through the rubble until he turned the corner. He could tell a blast had occurred near the end of the hall. The wall was blown in, fire licking at the walls. A motionless figure lay on the ground, Jinyoung crouched above him. 

“Did the blast get him?” Jaebum asked, looking down at the broken figure beneath him. 

“I think so, he was awake for a second, I think he remembered me,” Jinyoung recalled. Jaebum carefully turned Chan’s head. The device on the back of his neck had been knocked loose but it was still attached to him. 

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Jaebum proposed, gathering Chan’s body in his arms. There was blood running down his face from a nasty looking gash. His white shirt was ripped at his side, showing the gruesome cut that had most likely been caused by the blast. 

“We shouldn’t run into anymore guards, we just figured out that they were planning to abandon this place and relocate to a better protected area. We got lucky,” Jinyoung explained as they ran, being cautious of falling debris. The next set of explosives were due to detonate soon. They were almost at the exit. They did end up running into a lone guard trying to escape. He had made a move to shoot the intruders but Jinyoung was quicker. Finally they made it, the air outside wasn’t much better, the smoke was still dense near the building. The Resistance soldiers found them and escorted them back to their van.

“Where are Youngjae and Bambam?” Jaebum realized, not seeing them as he got inside the van. Had something happened while they were getting out of the building. He laid Chan down on a blanket that had been laid out. He was about to run back out to look for the two but Yugyeom stopped him. 

“They already left, they were close to a bomb that detonated early. They were right near the exit so we got them out, they left with the other medic,” Yugyeom explained, holding the older male’s wrist. Jaebum felt the some of the tension in his shoulders release. 

“Explain on the way, we need to leave,” Mark called out from the driver seat. Jinyoung was already working on Chan, slowing the bleeding, checking for other injuries. He often worked with Mark so he could act as the medic while Mark drove. Jackson got into the passenger seat as they prepared to leave. 

“What happened to Jae and Bam?” Jaebum inquired, worried for the two younger men. He also listened to what Jinyoung was telling him to do.

“From what they were able to tell us, they were close by one of the blasts and got hit with debris. They have minor burns but they didn’t look too good when they got out,” Yugyeom responded. Jaebum cursed under his breath, he hadn’t wanted the mission to go like this.

It was supposed to be simple. In and then out. No problems

But at least they had Chan

*end of flashback*

“That’s basically what happened. Mark was able to remove the device without causing any damage. The effects of the technology still mess with him though,” Jaebum finished. 

“We couldn’t join you during the meeting because Channie was having an episode,” Bambam frowned, looking down at his friend. Felix was in awe at the story Jaebum told. He vowed to never let Chan out of his sight ever again. 

“Lix, what’s wrong? You’re shaking,” Chan whispered, looking down at the boy snuggled up at his side. 

“I’m sorry,” Felix cried, burying his face in Chan’s shirt.

“Oh baby, there’s nothing for you to apologize for,” Chan cooed. Felix gripped his shirt as he cried. Chan didn’t deserve to be brainwashed. He wondered if Chan remembered what he had to do while at the Capitols mercy.

He would never allow any of his loved one’s to go through that.

He wanted to protect them.

He had to protect them.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's that. 
> 
> More information will be revealed in upcoming chapters!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed, thank you for reading!


	5. four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This definitely is not the best chapter I've written but most of it is a filler before we get into some of the good stuff. I also didn't have much time to write because of exams and school. But I did my best!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_ Consciousness came to Chan slowly.  _

_ The first thing he felt was pain. _

_ The memories came back to him. Capitol soldiers had burned down Northpass. Chan gave himself up to save his family. If he were to run, his family would be in danger. And he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if anything were to happen to them. They didn’t ask for the life Chan lived.  _

_ He remembered Minho, Changbin and Felix running. He felt relieved as they made their escape. One of the soldiers slashed at him with a blade and shoved him, causing him to fall to his knees. The cut began to bleed, the dark red liquid dripping down his arm. He had also twisted his ankle trying to climb over the debris inside the warehouse. He struggled to get to his feet. He looked forward, Minho, Changbin and Felix kept running. Felix turned back and Chan cringed. If the soldiers were going to continue to beat him, he didn’t want Felix to see. He was about to call out when he heard the shot. _

_ He felt the pain next. On the right side of his body, below his shoulder. He collapsed to his knees, his torso grew heavy as he slumped to the ground. He hoped that Felix hadn’t seen. The ringing in his ears was all he could hear. It wasn’t long before he lost consciousness. _

_ Now he didn’t know where he was. His body was heavy. Strong hands grabbed a hold of his biceps to drag him forward, his back burned from the pain. His legs were limp as he was dragged. Chan finally mustered up enough energy to open his eyes. His vision immediately blurred from the pain. Once his vision cleared, he raised his head. They were headed down a hallway. The lights were dim and the walls were dark. Nothing good waited for him.  _

_ The men carrying him must have realized that he was awake. The one on his right snickered and pulled on his right arm, causing the pain in his back to flare up. Chan tensed and yelled out in pain as black spots danced in his vision. _

_ “Wakey wakey Resistance scum,” the man laughed. Chan’s body trembled as his body went limp again. He wanted to fight, he wanted to show them how strong he was. But his energy was gone, the pain refused to reside. He could tell that the gunshot wound had been stitched and bandaged.  _

_ The Capitol didn’t want him dead, they had plans for him.  _

_ As they approached a door, the man on his right let go of his arm, causing Chan to lose the support on his right side. The other man released him and well and Chan crumpled to the ground, landing hard on his right shoulder. He let out another yell of pain, slowly rolling onto his stomach. He shakily pushed himself up onto his knees. His head spun, causing him to fall again. The men laughed at him as one of them opened the door.  _

_ Chan glared up at them defiantly. They came back towards Chan and grabbed him again. This time, they pulled him up to his feet, still holding his biceps. They forcefully shoved him into the room, there was a metal table and two chairs. There was a man already standing inside. His eyes followed Chan as the guards led him over to one of the chairs. As his arms were pulled behind his back, he felt the burn of the cut he had received on his right arm.  _

_ Cold metal shackles encased his wrists, keeping them restrained behind the back of the chair. He met the eyes of the man staring at him. The two guards backed away, shutting the door and standing beside the doorway. _

_ “Welcome to the Captiol Bang Chan.” _

Chan woke in a cold sweat. His eyes flew open as he let out a gasp. He looked around the room so he could remember where he was. He was at the Resistance base in Aresvale. He looked to his right and saw Changbin staring back at him. He glanced to his left and found Felix curled up into his side.

“Channie? What’s wrong?” Changbin whispered, pushing himself up to be closer to Chan.

“Just a nightmare. I get them a lot,” Chan admitted. Changbin frowned and rested his head on the pillow. He gazed sadly into the older male’s eyes.

“Are you comfortable telling me what it was about?” Changbin wondered, trying to get more of Chan’s story. Chan had told multiple people about his nightmares. He was fine with telling Changbin, he deserved to know more of the story.

“It’s a common one that I get, it’s when I woke up after being shot back in Northpass,” Chan began, his hand finding Changbin’s. The feeling of their fingers laced together brought Chan comfort. “It starts with me waking up. The guards drag me down the hall to the interrogation room. Luckily, I woke up before they could torture me,” he explained. He shivered at the thought of the nightmare. Changbin squeezed his hand gently and moved closer.

Their lips brushed before they locked. Chan had missed this feeling. When he finally broke away from Changbin he was out of breath. “I missed you a lot Chan,” Changbin said. He glanced at Felix before adding, “we missed you,”. Chan smiled and pulled Changbin towards him.

“I missed you both so much. I missed all of you,” he breathed out. “I thought of you both until I couldn’t think for myself,” Chan revealed. His body trembled as the memory came back. He wished for it to go away. 

“Oh Channie,” Changbin frowned. He held Chan tightly, stroking his hair gently. “How about we try to get some more sleep okay?” Changbin suggested. Chan nodded and let himself relax. His head fell back onto the pillow and he got comfortable again. Felix was still asleep on his left. Changbin settled in on his right. He let out a deep breath and waited for Chan to get settled.

“Goodnight my love,” Chan whispered.

“Goodnight Channie,” Changbin smiled.

Luckily, Chan slept peacefully for the rest of the night.

-x-

The next time Chan woke, it was morning. He could hear rustling throughout the room. Everyone had slept in Chan’s room overnight. The members of Jaebum’s team had offered up extra pillows and blankets to allow them a somewhat comfortable sleep. Chan rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up. He winced at the phantom pain in the back of his neck, he often felt the pressure of an object that was no longer there.   
Someone had noticed his moment of discomfort. “Hyung, are you okay? Do I need to get Youngjae hyung?” it was Jeongin. Chan turned his head to see the youngest standing at the side of the bed. His brow was furrowed with worry.

“I’m okay Innie, thank you though,” Chan smiled, his hand reaching to the back of his neck. Even though he knew there was nothing there, physically touching his neck lessened the anxiety. Jeongin nodded slowly, still not completely convinced. The older male laughed softly. He turned his body a bit so Jeongin could see the scar on the back of his neck.

“I just feel it sometimes, but there’s nothing there. It’s all healed up,” Chan explained, convincing the younger that he was in fact okay. He could see Jeongin physically relax and smiled softly. Being careful of the sleeping boys at his sides, Chan opened his arms to Jeongin. The younger grinned and gave Chan a tight hug, leaning over Changbin.

“I’m really glad that you’re okay hyung,” Jeongin whispered, his arms wrapped around Chan’s neck.

“I’m glad to be back with all of you,” Chan replied. Jeongin finally let go and moved back as Changbin began to stir. Jeongin walked back over to Hyunjin and Seungmin to help them fold up the blankets they had used. Changbin slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Chan.

“Good morning my love,” Chan hummed. Changbin smiled and sat up, giving Chan a quick kiss.

“Good morning, is Lix awake?” Changbin asked, his voice was raspy. Chan loved Changbin’s morning voice.

“He might be now,” Chan observed, turning his head and watching as Felix stretched out his limbs. Changbin sat up and gazed over at Felix.

“Wakey wakey sleepyhead,” Changbin teased. He reached over Chan’s lap to ruffle Felix’s dark hair. Felix groaned and threw his arms over his face. Chan laughed softly and gently ran his fingers through Felix’s hair. The latter let out a soft sigh and relaxed his muscles, his arms slowly fell away from his face which allowed the former to look down at his face.

“Good morning,” Chan giggled, leaning down closer to Felix. Felix’s lips curled up into a small smile as his eyes opened.

“Good morning Channie,” Felix replied. He wrapped his arms around Chan’s neck and pulled him farther down. Felix’s scent filled his nose. It relaxed him. Chan melted, his face buried in Felix’s neck. When the hold weakened, Chan pulled away.

A knock at the door got the attention of the people in the room. Minho jogged over to the door and opened it to reveal Jaebum. 

“Good morning, I hope everyone slept decently,” he began. “We want to get back to the Resistance headquarters as soon as possible, do you think we can head out at some point today?” Jaebum wondered. Chan watched the group's reactions, trying to gauge their feelings.

“That’s pretty soon, what time?” Minho inquired. Jisung frowned at the news. Did he not want to leave Aresvale yet?

“We should probably leave late at night or during busy trading hours at 2 p.m,” Jaebum said. Minho nodded slowly.

“We just have to pack up our things and say goodbye to our friends, but we should be able to get going tonight,” Minho reasoned. He looked around at the group for their answers. Chan realized that Minho must’ve taken his unofficial role in the group after the incident. The group nods in agreement. Jaebum smiled, satisfied with the answer. 

“You guys can leave whenever to go and pack, take your time while you’re out to say goodbye. But leave Chan here, we can’t risk him being seen by soldiers,” Jaebum explained before leaving the room. Felix’s shoulders dropped as he sulked.

“I wanted you to meet Hongjoong hyung,” Felix sighed. Chan ruffled Felix’s hair comfortingly.

“Sorry Lix, I wish I could meet your friends too, but the Capitol has an eye out for me,” Chan said. Changbin turned to Chan and cocked his head to the side. “They knew I was still at the Facility when it was raided and they didn’t find my body so they know I’m alive,” he explained. They understood him, Chan knew that. He really did wish that he could meet the people who had accepted his family.

“We should probably head out soon, we have to figure out how to get Jisung’s gun out of the apartment,” Minho announced. 

Before learning of his family’s endeavors after his disappearance, he never would've expected that Jisung would own a gun. After he had recovered enough to comprehend his surroundings, he had immediately asked about the friends that he had left behind. No one knew anything which had sent Chan into a panic.

_ “Hey Channie,” a soft voice spoke from above. Chan’s vision cleared and he looked up to see Jinyoung hovering above him.  _

_ “Hyung, how long was I gone?” Chan wondered. He flinched at the sound of his raspy voice. His throat stung from dehydration. Jinyoung reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a cup of water. He helped Chan sit up, holding the back of his head with one hand and the cup in the other. He drank a few sips before he was satisfied. He quietly thanked Jinyoung before laying back down. _

_ “You were gone for a year and a half,” Jinyoung finally replied. Chan was surprised, while he was trapped in his own mind, he couldn’t quite grasp the concept of time. He never knew how many days had passed.  _

_ Then he realized. _

_ “My family, Changbin and Felix, where are they?” Chan worried, his heart rate picked up in fear. _

_ “Who?” Jinyoung furrowed his brow. Chan froze, he felt like he was going to vomit. They didn’t know where his group was. Of course. They never even knew about his friends in the first place. They didn’t know about his relationships outside of the Resistance. Why would they keep tabs on people they didn’t know about. _

_ “M-my friends in Northpass, they escaped. Oh my god they think I’m dead,” Chan trembled as he sat up. Jinyoung helped him up, watching him nervously. “Felix, he watched them shoot me,” he continued. His breathing began to quicken. It became uneven and his shoulders shook. Jinyoung was quick to react. He placed his hands on Chan's shoulder and looked into his eyes. _

_ “Channie, breathe with me ready? In… and out, again. In… and out,” Jinyoung instructed. He always knew how to help Chan out of a panic. Chan was still struggling to breathe, he tried to get in a full breath, but it wasn’t working. He focused on Jinyoung, watching as the older male breathed with him. Finally, he was able to breathe again. He was still shaky, but his breathing was back to normal. Jinyoung sat by his side, rubbing his shoulders comfortingly. _

_ “Thank you hyung,” Chan breathed out. He was still taking deep breaths so he could maintain his breathing. Jinyoung just nodded with a smile. _

_“Tell me about them, Chan,” he said, watching the younger male’s reaction. He watched Chan’s chest as he breathed, his shoulders as they relaxed._ _  
__“There’s seven of them, all younger than me. Minho, Hyunjin, Seungmin, Jisung, Jeongin…” he stops for a moment, getting choked up. Jinyoung pats his back in support._

_ “Take your time,” Jinyoung whispered. _

_ “Felix and Changbin,” Chan finished. He missed them so much. He wanted to go back to sleep and wake up beside them. He wanted to admire Felix’s beautiful freckles and gaze into Changbin’s mesmerizing eyes. _

_ “You loved them, didn’t you?” Jinyoung guessed. Chan could only nod, his head falling into his hands. “When you’re okay, give me their full names and we can start tracking them down and get an update on their condition,” Jinyoung proposed. Chan liked that idea. He wanted to make sure they were okay. _

_ “I want to see them, hyung,” Chan sniffled. The older male frowned and let out a soft sigh. _

_ “You know we can’t do that until we know who they are, right?” Jinyoung told him. Chan had known that. The Resistance wouldn’t just let Chan into the world to meet with people.  _

_ “How about you get some more rest, Mark is probably going to stop by soon to clean your wounds and change your bandages,” Jinyoung said. Jinyoung had always been like a mother. He watched over the younger members of Jaebum’s field team like they were his children. Chan liked being babied by Jinyoung at times. It was comforting.  _

_ Jinyoung helped Chan lean back to lay in bed. He brushed the dark hair out of Chan’s face. It had grown while Chan had been gone. The blonde had been cut away, leaving his natural hair color. “Call for me if you need me okay?” Jinyoung said as he stood up, looking down at the tired boy. _

_ “I will hyung,” Chan promised. After that, Jinyoung left. And it didn’t take long for Chan to fall asleep. _

Felix stuck close to Changbin as they made their way through the streets. He was already feeling the anxiety from being away from Chan. He couldn’t believe he was still alive. It was a miracle. Felix had lost hope long ago, he had never expected him to be alive. 

“Lix? Are you okay?” Changbin asked, looking over at Felix. Felix jumped, being brought back to reality. He must have zoned out.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Felix responded. Changbin squeezed the other male’s hand comfortingly.

“You were thinking about Chan weren’t you?” Changbin guessed. Felix only nodded. “At least we know he’s safe, and he will be right where we left him,” he continued. Felix could tell he was worried as well. It was the tone of his voice. He was trying to hide the shakiness by speaking a bit louder, which got the attention of Jisung.

Jisung dropped back to walk beside Changbin and Felix. “He was able to survive this long. I’m worried about Chan hyung too, but we have to trust him,” Jisung smiled as he clung to Felix’s arm. Felix nodded in agreement. He did trust Chan, he would trust him forever. He just didn’t want to be away from him after they had just been reunited.

It wasn’t long before they made it back to the apartment.

“I’m going to let them know that we’ll be leaving, everyone head up and start packing,” Minho said, letting everyone pass by to get upstairs. Felix headed up the staircase and made his way down the hall. Jisung made his way to the front to unlock the door. He allowed everyone else inside before shutting the door. Everyone was in better spirits as they began to pack the few belongings that they owned. Felix was eager to get back to Chan. But that meant they also had to say goodbye to Hongjoong and their friends at the tavern.

It was Hongjoong who had helped them get their bearings in Aresvale. It would be difficult to part ways. But they had a chance to fight with the Resistance. They had a chance to overthrow the Capitol. Maybe once it was all over, they would meet again. Felix smiled at the thought and put the last of his clothes into a bag. The last few articles of clothing were old shirts and sweatshirts of Chan’s that Felix had taken from their home in Northpass. He folded up the clothes and placed them in his bag and took a seat on the floor. They had two dressers in the living area because that was where the majority of the group slept. Felix just made sure he was out of everyone’s way.

Jisung appeared from the hallway with a guitar case and set it down next to his bag of clothes. Inside the cases wasn’t a guitar like you would expect. That was where Jisung kept his gun. If they were out, no one would question it. There were many people who took their guitars out to perform on the street.

Finally everyone was packed and ready to go. They cleaned up the apartment, straightening out the bedroom, living area, bathroom and kitchen. They collected things such as their secret stash of hair dye and their stained towels in a garbage bag to dispose of. 

“Alright, let’s head over to the tavern before it gets busy so we can say buy,” Minho announced sadly. The group took one last look at their home before closing the door. They said goodbye to the old woman at the front desk who had always been so kind to them. And they were on their way to the tavern one last time.

It was Hongjoong who had helped them get their bearings in Aresvale. It would be difficult to part ways. But they had a chance to fight with the Resistance. They had a chance to overthrow the Capitol. Maybe once it was all over, they would meet again. Felix smiled at the thought and put the last of his clothes into a bag. The last few articles of clothing were old shirts and sweatshirts of Chan’s that Felix had taken from their home in Northpass. He folded up the clothes and placed them in his bag and took a seat on the floor. They had two dressers in the living area because that was where the majority of the group slept. Felix just made sure he was out of everyone’s way.

Jisung appeared from the hallway with a guitar case and set it down next to his bag of clothes. Inside the cases wasn’t a guitar like you would expect. That was where Jisung kept his gun. If they were out, no one would question it. There were many people who took their guitars out to perform on the street.

Finally everyone was packed and ready to go. They cleaned up the apartment, straightening out the bedroom, living area, bathroom and kitchen. They collected things such as their secret stash of hair dye and their stained towels in a garbage bag to dispose of. 

“Alright, let’s head over to the tavern before it gets busy so we can say buy,” Minho announced sadly. The group took one last look at their home before closing the door. They said goodbye to the old woman at the front desk who had always been so kind to them. And they were on their way to the tavern one last time.

The bright sun was warm, and the breeze made the temperature comfortable. Felix had always enjoyed days like this. He recalled the days where they would all go out and play in the shallow water near the harbor. Things were simpler then. Not much simpler, but still.

They rounded the corner to the tavern Seungmin charged forward, Jeongin bouncing around and giggling on his back. Once they reached the doors, Seungmin let Jeongin slide down as they waited for the rest of the group. When they entered, it wasn’t too busy, just a few old men eating lunch and playing a game of pool.

Yeosang and Wooyoung were seated at the bar talking to Seonghwa when they approached. Yeosang turned to them with a wide smile.

“Hey! How did the meeting go?” he asked, anxious to receive an answer. Minho chuckled softly as he walked forward, leaning against the bar in between Yeosang and Wooyoung. The whole group leaned in to hear his response, dropping their bags on the floor. 

“We’re joining the Resistance,” he whispered. Felix noticed Wooyoung flinch and Yeosang immediately offered him a hand as a comforting gesture. “Now listen, they did explain themselves to us. They didn’t know that we were acquainted and they have previous trauma from being followed and not dealing with it. That doesn’t make it one hundred percent right to beat the shit out of someone with no questions asked, but I can somewhat see where they’re coming from,” Minho pointed out. Wooyoung relaxed a bit.

“They also said they were sorry,” Felix whispered to Wooyoung.

“Hey! Minho, guys what’s up?” Hongjoong said as he jogged towards the group.

“They were just telling us about the meeting,” Seonghwa smiled lovingly at the shorter male. Hongjoong ran to get behind the bar and leaned over the table.

“Also, our friend Chan that we’ve told you about, he’s alive,” Minho smiled in relief. 

“Really? How?” Hongjoong wondered.

“It turns out he was captured by the Resistance and brainwashed, kind of a long story, but they found him about six months ago and he’s been recovering,” Minho explained. Felix felt warmth spread throughout his body. The thought of being back with Chan excited him. Yeosang glanced over at Felix and giggled. 

“You’re so cute Lix,” he observed. Felix blushed and cuddled into Changbin’s side.

“That’s incredible, I’m sad that we couldn’t meet him,” Seonghwa sighed.

“Maybe one day, after this is all over, we’ll come back,” Changbin smiled sadly.

“So you are leaving to join the Resistance?” Hongjoong inquired. Jisung nodded in response. Hongjoong looked like he had expected that answer.

“I just hope that you all stay safe, and don’t do anything that could get you killed, or I’ll hunt you down and kill you again,” Hongjoong joked. Felix could tell that he was saddened by the news. 

“Let me go get the others,” Yeosang said as he got out of his seat. Felix watched as he made his way to the stairs before he looked back at Hongjoong and Seonghwa. Wooyoung looked like he was healing pretty well. He did look exhausted though.

The goodbye was bittersweet. There were lots of hugs, a few tears, but they had hope that they would reunite one day. They stayed at the tavern for another hour before deciding it was time to head back to the makeshift Resistance base. 

They stood at the doorway, waving to their friends before turning away to begin the next chapter in their lives.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In conclusion
> 
> I want a StrayTEEZ collab


	6. five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait for this chapter. I went home over Thanksgiving break and exams are coming up. I'll be doing my best to upload consistently!
> 
> Honestly I'm not proud of this chapter but it is kind of another filler before we start getting into more of the good stuff.
> 
> I hope you enjoy and thank you for reading!

Changbin had been plagued by nightmares since that day. Chan had told him to run, he didn’t want Changbin and Felix to watch him get hurt. But Felix looked, and slowed down. That forced Changbin to slow down as well, he was not about to let Felix fall behind. He yelled and yelled, begging Felix to turn around and keep running. And then it happened. The gunshot turned Changbin’s blood to ice.

No.

Chan’s body seemed to fall in slow motion. Changbin knew the bullet had hit him. In that moment, all he wanted to do was run right back to Chan and save him. But he couldn’t, the soldiers wouldn’t let him get too close and would most likely arrest him. All he could do was stop Felix from running back.

The sound of the gunshot and the image of Chan falling, haunted Changbin. For so long he believed Chan was dead. And now, he was here, he was alive. He had wondered if it would stop the nightmares.

It didn’t.

“Bin, Changbin. Baby wake up,” a voice urged. Changbin’s eyes shot open and he sat up. He was sweating, his body trembling and he was out of breath. Chan sat next to him, his arm gently rubbing Changbin’s shoulder. He took a few shaky breaths before taking in his surroundings. He was in Chan’s room at the Resistance base. He rubbed his eyes and leaned over, his shoulder laying against Chan’s chest. “Do you want to talk about it?” Chan asked.

Changbin nodded, he was comfortable sharing with Chan, the others knew already. They would often help him with his nightmares. He noticed that Felix wasn’t in the room which surprised him. Chan seemed to notice and smiled softly. “He went to help the others pack up, I offered to go as well and let you sleep but they insisted that I stay with you,” Chan explained.

“I’ve been having nightmares for about two years now, ever since you uh...” Changbin trailed off. Chan understood what he was referencing. His shoulders deflated and he wrapped his arms around Changbin.

“I’m sorry that I’ve caused you so much stress,” Chan whispered, his hands finding their way to Changbin’s hair. He never blamed Chan for his nightmares. Maybe he was involved in the event that caused them, but Chan himself did not cause his nightmares.

“Don’t say that, it’s not your fault,” Changbin frowned, embracing Chan tightly. He had missed holding the other so close, inhaling his comforting scent, seeing his beautiful smile. He had missed everything about Chan. When they finally separated, Changbin felt better. His heart rate had gone down and he was no longer trembling.

“We should be ready to leave soon, I’m really excited to show you all around headquarters,” Chan said excitedly. Changbin always loved when Chan got excited. He would smile and his dimples would show. The dimples that Changbin hadn’t seen in two years.

“I’m excited to see it Channie,” Changbin smiled, taking the other male’s hand. “Is there anything they need me to do? I feel bad for falling asleep and not helping out,” he wondered.

“They have plenty of help trust me, you looked exhausted when you got back. You needed a nice nap,” Chan reassured him. Changbin nodded warily. He definitely felt better after taking a nap. He hadn’t told anyone, but he hadn’t been sleeping much at all for the past week. The nightmares had been pretty bad and kept him up for most of the night. But hopefully, now that he was back with Chan, they would start to subside. 

Changbin swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up straight, rolling his shoulders a few times. He heard his joints crack as he moved. From behind, Chan laid down and wrapped his arms around Changbin’s waist. 

“Come on lazy,” Changbin laughed, playfully trying to pry Chan’s hands apart. The older only reinforced his grip and squeezed a bit tighter.

“I’m surprised that Jaebum hyung hasn’t put me back to work yet. Jinyoung hyung keeps saying that I’m not fully recovered yet but I think I am,” Chan said. Changbin let go of Chan’s hands and turned his head to look back at the other male.

“How bad were your wounds? I remember Jaebum hyung mentioned it when telling us the story,” Changbin asked, hoping Chan would be comfortable answering his question. 

“I was on bed rest for a long time, Jinyoung hyung told me I could only get up to go to the bathroom and to call for someone to help me walk,” Chan explained.

“Your legs were fine though right?” Changbin asked, trying to recall Jaebum’s story. He hadn’t fully described the state that Chan had been in after the blast and Changbin wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know.

“My legs were okay, just some minor cuts and bruises, it was my abdomen that they were worried about. Do you want me to tell you?” Chan tilted his head as he sat up beside Changbin. The older had noticed Changbin’s slight discomfort. But he wanted to know, Changbin wanted to know what Chan had been through.

“Yeah, I want to know. If you’re comfortable telling me,” Changbin said. He didn’t want anything to trigger a bad memory for Chan. The older male nodded, his arms still wrapped around Changbin’s waist, his hands laying limp in the younger male’s lap.

“In the explosion, a piece of debris got me really good,” Chan began, he moved his arms from Changbin’s waist to lift his own shirt. Changbin looked over. The scar caught his eye immediately. The skin was darker and raised, it was quite long. He didn’t even realize he was reaching to touch until he noticed Chan flinch. Changbin shrunk away in embarrassment.

“I- sorry,” Changbin frowned, pulling his hand away. Chan blushed, embarrassed as well. 

“No, it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting it, you can touch,” Chan said, looking at Changbin with a smile. Changbin reached his hand out again. His fingers gently brushed against the scar. 

“I had a few broken ribs, which is probably why Jinyoung was so worried. He wanted them to heal correctly and moving too much could’ve disrupted the healing process,” Chan continued. He dropped his shirt once Changbin pulled his hand away. “Those were the worst of my injuries, the concussion wasn’t that bad. The debris that hit my head most likely gave me this scar,” he said, pointing at the scar on the left side of his face. Changbin frowned and looked at the bandages on Chan’s forearms. Was there something still healing?

“What are those for?” Changbin asked, pointing at the bandages. Chan looked down and hummed softly.

“Sometimes, I get panic attacks. And when I do, I uh, scratch at my forearms until they bleed,” Chan trailed off. Changbin frowned. He realized that Chan needed comfort. Changbin curled into Chan’s side and took hold of one of his arms and held it close. He was gentle as he pressed his lips to the bandage. “I don’t want you to keep hurting yourself, I want to help you,” Changbin breathed out, still gently holding Chan’s arm. Chan smiled gratefully and kissed the top of Changbin’s head.

“I appreciate that Binnie,” he responded.   
Suddenly, the door opened and Felix burst inside. He ran right for the bed where Chan and Changbin were sitting. He slowed for a second to not crush the two on the bed. He caught them both in a hug, giggling as he embraced them.

“Hi Lix, are you all finished packing up?” Chan asked, his voice muffled by Felix’s body.

“Yeah, Jaebum hyung wanted me to come get you,” Felix answered as he pulled away, sitting on the bed on his knees. Chan nodded. Changbin realized that Chan had already packed his things, there was a big bag that had been set near the closet. Chan got up first and Felix got up with him. Felix then turned back and reached out a hand for Changbin. Changbin smiled and took the younger male’s hand. He stood up and stretched his arms. 

“Let’s head upstairs so we can get going, Mark hyung hates being behind schedule,” Chan laughed, getting up from the bed and moving over to the closet where his bag was. He picked up the bag and turned back to Changbin and Felix. Together the three left the room and made their way back to the main room of the underground base. 

“Ah, good morning Sleeping Beauty,” Hyunjin joked as Changbin appeared from the hallway. Changbin rolled his eyes with a smile before making a quick move towards Hyunjin, causing him to flinch away. Changbin giggled, Seungmin laughing with him.   
“Alright, we have everything packed in the cars, let’s head out,” Jaebum announced. Everyone began to head up the stairs and back into the motel. Yugyeom was the last one out, he locked the door before following the group. It was dark out, probably around ten o’clock. Around the back of the motel there were three black cars. They looked bigger than a normal car that you would sometimes see in the city but not big enough to draw too much attention. 

“We’ll have to split into two groups of five and one group of four,” Jaebum said. It was decided that Chan, Changbin, Felix, Jaebum and Youngjae would be one group, Jackson, Mark, Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jeongin would be the second group and Minho, Jisung, Yugyeom, Bambam, and Jinyoung would be the last group. 

They left at different times to not draw attention to them. Jaebum left first. Changbin looked out the window as they left the city. They had been in Aresvale for quite some time, so leaving was bittersweet. When he turned back, Felix was curled into Chan’s side. The older male was playing with the younger’s recently dyed hair. Changbin smiled and got comfortable in the seat, staying close to Chan as he drifted off into sleep.

_ “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jinyoung scolded. Chan turned his head in the direction of the doorway. Jinyoung stared at him, his eyes narrowed. He had a small bag in his hand. _

_ “Uhh, going to the bathroom?” Chan responded, still confused about why Jinyoung seemed so mad. The older male made his way into the room, setting his bag down beside the bed before he moved over to Chan’s, placing his left arm over his shoulder carefully. “What are you doing?” He asked, wincing in pain. _

_ “I just don’t want you to fall and injure yourself further,” Jinyoung answered. He seemed stressed as he continued to help Chan towards the bathroom. _

_ “My legs are okay hyung, don’t worry,” Chan smiled, hoping that he could give Jinyoung just a sliver of reassurance. But the other wasn’t having it. _

_ “It’s your ribs that Mark and I are worried about. Mark says they have to heal correctly. I just don’t want the process to be longer and more painful than it has to be,” Jinyoung explained. Chan frowned, he understood why Jinyoung was worrying. While he thought he was fine, he didn’t mind the extra help. His ribs ached while he walked as he tried not to hunch over from the pain. It was easier with Jinyoung helping. _

_ So please, if you ever need to get out of bed for anything, call for someone to help. I’m sorry if it seems annoying but we just want you to get better,” Jinyoung stressed, hoping that Chan would understand his point. Chan nodded. _

_ “Of course hyung, I will,” he agreed. He could feel Jinyoung relax. Once they reached the bathroom, Jinyoung opened the door and let Chan go inside. Once Chan was finished, he opened the door, leaning against it for some support. Jinyoung was quick to be his support once again and led him back to the bed where he helped Chan sit down. He reached down to pick up the bag that he had brought with him. _

_ “Can you take your shirt off while I change your bandages?” Jinyoung requested. Chan nodded and started to remove his shirt. The more he raised his arms, the more his ribs ached and the more the gash on his torso stretched. Jinyoung noticed his struggle and helped take off the shirt. He then carefully began to unwrap the bandages that encircled Chan’s waist.  _

_ When the bandages were all removed, Chan looked down. The bruising was beginning to fade. The cut running down his side was also healing nicely. At least that’s what Mark had told him the last time he had changed Chan’s bandages.  _

_ Jinyoung was careful as he cleaned the area around the stitches and began to wrap him back up. He made sure the bandages were tight enough, but not uncomfortable. Once he was finished, he sat up, putting the bandages back in the small bag. _

_ “Do you need anything else? Food? Water? Books?” Jinyoung wondered as he stood up. Chan shook his head tiredly. _

_ “I’m alright for now hyung, thank you,” Chan smiled as he put his shirt back on, the process being a bit less painful than removing it was.  _

_ “Remember to call if you need anything,” Jinyoung reminded him again. Chan smiled and nodded, watching as Jinyoung left the room. _

Chan was awake throughout the entire ride. Felix was curled up at his side, Changbin was gazing out the window. Chan knew that they hadn’t ridden in cars as much as he had. He could tell that Changbin was awake, watching the trees pass by as they drove down the road. Felix might have been awake as well, if he was, he was too comfortable to move. Chan looked up front. Jaebum was focused on the road, Youngjae was switching through radio stations. Chan could hear the static from the different stations. 

Music barely played on the radio, it was mostly propaganda speeches sent out by the Capitol. Since only the rich owned cars, they would listen to the speeches and eat it up. People could be so closed-minded. 

They were unexpectedly quiet during the ride. It was late so Chan understood, even though Changbin had just been sleeping back at the motel. Felix had fallen asleep at this point. Chan could tell by how he leaned against Chan with all of his body weight. It made Chan feel warm.

"Are you excited?" Chan asked, keeping his voice quiet so he didn't disturb Felix. Changbin turned his head, a smile plastered on his face.

"I am," Changbin admitted. Chan knew that he had been upset about leaving Aresvale because of the friends they had all made. He was glad that they had accepted Jaebum's offer and joined the Resistance. 

As he recovered, he helped Jackson and Bambam track down his family. After doing some digging, Chan realized that they had become rebellious, killing people of power. Chan had not expected them to cope in that way, but it made it easier to get them to agree to be a part of his life.

The ride wasn’t extremely long, only about 30 minutes. When they turned off onto the road leading to the Resistance headquarters, Chan gently nudged Felix to wake him. Felix groaned, trying to curl further “Wake up my love, we’re here,” Chan said softly. Changbin turned back to look at the other two. He looked excited.

Chan had to admit he was excited to show his family the part of his life that he had been hiding from them for so long. They would also be safe from the Capitol. Finally they arrived, the road they were on running down a small hill before disappearing into a tunnel. There were lights at the end of the tunnel. As they got closer, the car slowed, finally stopping as it entered the garage. The workers guided Jaebum into a parking spot and he turned off the car.

“Here we are,” Chan smiled as he reached over Felix to open the door. Felix yawned and slowly climbed out of the car. Chan followed, with Changbin taking up the rear. Jaebum and Youngjae had already gotten out of the car.

“Are the others close behind?” Changbin asked, sticking close to Chan’s side.

“They should both be here in the next ten minutes,” Jaebum responded. “Do you want to wait here for them or should we go in?” he added. 

“Can we wait?” Felix wondered. Jaebum nodded with a smile. And so they waited, Changbin and Felix looking around at how large the garage was. They looked shocked by the number of vehicles the Resistance had in their arsenal. It wasn’t long before the two other cars arrived. The others looked fascinated as well. And they had only seen the garage. Once they were all together, they unloaded the bags from the different cars, everyone helping out. 

“Welcome to the Resistance,” Chan announced to his family.

  
  
  
  



	7. six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My exams are finally over and I'm back at home. I took some time to relax and enjoy not doing schoolwork and then wrote this chapter. 
> 
> Hopefully I can start updating regularly again!

Felix was surprised at how nice the Resistance base looked. The walls were a cream color, the lights lit up the whole hallway. Jaebum and his team led the way, the group passed a few people on their way down the hall. All of them bowed their heads respectfully to Jaebum and the team. Felix couldn’t help but feel excited. They were officially part of the Resistance now. They didn’t have to live in constant fear of getting caught.

“I sent a message last night notifying the higher ups that you all would be joining us. Per Chan’s request, there are three rooms that have been cleaned up for you all,” Jaebum announced as they walked. 

“Thank you so much,” Minho breathed out, still taking in his surroundings. They soon walked into a larger room. The room was ginormous. There were large television screens mounted on the walls, people sat at desks and typed away at computers, others rushed across the floor and delivered folders to people who looked like they could be in charge.

“We call this the main control room, most of the work gets done here,” Jinyoung explained. Felix gazed around the room in awe. He had never even used a computer before, and there were so many in the room. Chan giggled softly as he watched his friend’s react to the new environment. Jinyoung smiled and waved them forward. They proceeded to cross the room into another hallway.

As they got further down the wall, they passed training rooms that could be seen through the windows. They passed the infirmary where Mark parted from the group to check his supply since he had been gone for a while. They turned right into another hallway.

“This hallway and the one behind this are where the rooms are located. Each occupant will receive a key to their assigned room. The kitchen and cafeteria are located at the end of the hall where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served everyday by the kitchen staff,” Jaebum said. 

A kitchen staff? The Resistance had everything!

“I’m sure you guys are exhausted, I’ll take you to your rooms. The keys should be hanging on the door for you. My team, we have a meeting with the Council before we’re done for the night,” Jaebum sighed. Jackson took charge and led the group back the way they came, waving at the newcomers before disappearing around the corner.

“So, what do you think?” Chan wondered, staring intently at the others. Felix watched him grow more excited as the group expressed their fascination with the Resistance headquarters.

“It’s huge hyung, there’s so much space. And everything looks so nice,” Jeongin gushed. Chan’s expression lit up as he listened to the youngest. Felix knew for a fact that none of them had ever been in a place this nice, with the amount of resources that they had.

Felix had grown up in the poor trading town of Northpass. His parents had moved there after their previous town had been bombed by an enemy of the Capitol. Almost none of their belongings survived the explosions, so they went to the cheapest place around. People were also drawn to Northpass because of the work that was available. His parents passed when he was sixteen, at that point he moved in with Changbin who had already been living on his own. A lot of teenagers made their way to Northpass for work, that was why so many people their age lived on their own. Felix had heard too many stories of dead parents and abusive parents during his time in Northpass. 

Felix was brought back to reality when he heard Jaebum leaving. He looked up to see a door in front of him. Chan was unlocking the door to their shared room. Minho and Jisung were already entering the room on their right while Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jeongin were unlocking the door on their left. Once the door was opened, Chan moved to allow Changbin and Felix inside. They walked down the short hallway into the room. They set down their bags and took in their surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was how spacious the room was. The bed was on their left, the headboard pushed against the wall. Felix turned to see the closet behind them at the wall between the hallway and the corner of the room. There was a dresser opposite the bed, a fluffy white rug on the floor and two grey armchairs in the corner near the far wall. 

“Wow,” Changbin breathed out. Felix smiled, slipping off his shoes and placing them on the rug next to the wall where Chan had already set his shoes. He then scurried towards the bed, plopping down with a sigh. Changbin joined him after taking his shoes off as well. Chan giggled and walked over to the bed.

“This place is so nice, it’s huge!” Felix remarked. Chan sat down in between the two boys and laid down. 

“I’ve lived here my whole life, my parents were a part of the Resistance before I was even born. But it’s grown a lot since then,” Chan explained. Chan never mentioned his parents. Even while living together in Northpass, Chan shied away from a conversation if his parents were brought up. He seemed to notice Felix and Changbin’s discomfort and pulled Changbin down to lay with him and Felix. 

“My parents were quite important here. They were well known fugitives in the Capitol, there were people everywhere looking for them. I was ten years old when they left for a mission and never came back,” Chan sighed, looking up at the ceiling. Felix frowned and curled into Chan’s side, his fingers rubbing circles onto the older male’s clothed stomach.

“One of their men had been bribed to reveal the details of the mission and hand my parents right to the Capitol. After that, they were publicly executed,” Chan continued. Felix could hear the hurt in his voice as he spoke.

“They would be so proud of you,” Changbin said gently.

“For what? Getting my ass captured by the Capitol?” Chan scoffed. 

“For moving forward, protecting people you care about, continuing on their path and fighting for the Resistance,” Changbin listed. The oldest of the three managed a smile, wrapping an arm around Changbin’s neck to pull him into a hug. 

Felix began to drift off, the warmth of Chan and the bed beneath him reminded him that it was late and he was tired. Chan and Changbin noticed and started to move.

“Go get some comfier clothes on and we can sleep, alright Lix?” Chan smiled. Felix sat up and yawned, covering his mouth with his hand before pushing himself off the bed. He walked over to his bag and pulled out a pair of sweatpants, his toothbrush and toothpaste before moving to Chan’s bag and stealing a hoodie. Before Chan could protest, Felix was running to the bathroom that was located in the hallway by the door. He changed quickly and brushed his teeth before exiting and making his way into the room. Changbin was pulling up his sweatpants and tying the strings. Chan was in the middle of changing his shirt and rolled his eyes at Felix.

“What?” Felix pouted, crossing his arms across his chest. Chan pulled his shirt over his head and moved towards the dark haired male. 

“You’re lucky you look so cute in my clothes,” he smirked before making his way to the bathroom. Felix blushed and walked back to the bed, Changbin joining him shortly after.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Changbin admitted. Felix cocked his head to the side, hoping the other would explain. “Chan is alive, we’re with the Resistance,” he elaborated. Felix hummed in agreement, scooting closer to the other.

“It’s weird not fighting over who gets the bedroom for the night or who gets the warm blanket,” Felix added. The door to the bathroom opened and Chan walked out, letting Changbin have his turn. As he makes his way to the bathroom, he catches the older male in a quick kiss before continuing. Chan lays down beside Felix with a sigh.

“What happened after I got taken?” Chan wondered. Felix internally cringed, the memories brought him pain, but Chan was just curious.

“We escaped through Yellowwood forest to the next town over. The inns were offering free rooms for a few nights for those who had escaped,” the bathroom door opened and Changbin exited the bathroom. “We stayed there for a bit and regrouped. We all wanted revenge so we started working, saving money, found a retired soldier who was more than happy to train us and started traveling,” Felix explained. Changbin was now laying on Chan’s other side listening in to the conversation.

“We decided to go to Aresvale but made a few stops in other cities, doing a few jobs here and there. We spaced out our attacks to avoid raising suspicion,” he continued.

“Aresvale was nice, lots of people willing to cover for us if we were ever questioned,” Changbin interjected. Felix nodded in agreement.

“There were a lot of people that were mad at the Government, many of the lower class citizens were aware of what we did and had our backs,” Felix recalled. 

“Then we met Hongjoong hyung. He owns the tavern we liked to go to,” Changbin smiled. “Minho hyung got stabbed on a job and the first place we stumbled upon was the tavern, Hongjoong hyung and the others saved his life,” he said. Chan had his mouth open in shock.

“Minho got stabbed?” he questioned. Felix nodded in response. Chan frowned, “how did that happen?” he asked. 

_ It was their second job. They had been staying in the city of Mayburgh for a month waiting for a lesser known politician to pass through. While he wasn’t well known, his ideology was dangerous. And if he ever rose to power, the country would suffer.  _

_ A small group of rebels they had met suggested taking small jobs and spacing them out to avoid suspicion. _

_ So that's what they decided to do. _

_ Felix decided to stay back to keep watch over Seungmin at the apartment they were renting. Jeongin and Jisung had also stayed back since the mission had one main target. Changbin, Hyunjin and Minho were waiting on the streets for the politician to leave an office building. Minho was tasked with taking him out, with his skill it should have been no problem.  _

_ Seungmin had hacked into the security cameras in the area to watch over the trio. “He should be coming out at any moment,” Seungmin said over the earpiece. Felix leaned over Seungmin’s shoulder to take a look at the camera. The doors of the office building opened about two minutes later and four men exited. _

_ “The signals on the cameras are blocked, only I can see you,” Seungmin informed the group. Felix watched as the three left their position to follow the men. One of the politician's guards seemed to notice and moved to get behind the politician but it was too late.  _

_ Hyunjin, Changbin and Minho struck. They shoved the men into the alleyway before they could even process what was happening. The cameras didn’t reach the alleyway, they could only hear the scuffle. There were shouts of pain, and muffled yelling. _

_ “Holy shit, Minho!” they heard Changbin yell. Jisung’s head shot up and he looked at the screen. The others watched intently, wondering what was happening.  _

_ “Hyunjin he’s dead, now help me,” Changbin sneered, obviously upset. _

_“Who’s dead? Hyung, what’s happening?” Jisung panicked, desperate from an answer._ _It took a minute for anyone to answer. Those who had stayed back held their breath nervously. Jisung started shaking, his breathing unstable. Felix noticed and came up behind his friend, rubbing his shoulders comfortingly._

_ “Mission complete, all four are dead. One of the guards got Minho hyung pretty good, we’re on our way back,” Hyunjin finally responded. Jisung let out a breath of relief, they were all alive. But Minho had gotten hurt. _

_ “Don’t worry, he’s going to be just fine hyung,” Jeongin said with a soft smile, trying to comfort Jisung even though he was nervous as well.  _

_ The wait for the return of their friends was painfully long. Jisung had started pacing around the room, Jeongin offering him comfort. Seungmin shut down the old laptop that someone had loaned to him and put it back in its hiding spot. _

_ Finally there was a knock at the door. The knock sequence they had created to alert anyone inside that it was safe. Their apartment was conveniently located on the second floor of the apartment building and was accessible from a back entrance. Jeongin opened the door quickly and moved to allow the others space to get inside.  _

_ Felix was horrified to see Minho half dead in Changbin’s arms. There was blood splattered across his shirt and started to pool between the wrinkles. He was as pale as a ghost and looked tired. _

_ “Oh my god,” Jisung gasped, his hands placed over his mouth in shock. _

_ “S-sorry I wasn’t quick enough,” Minho rasped, faking a smile for Jisung who let out a sob. _

_ “Get him on the bed hurry,” Felix said. They had already stripped the bed of the blankets and sheets to avoid the mess. Seungmin grabbed their first aid kit and rushed over. Changbin had removed Minho’s shirt and took one of the towels that Jisung had grabbed. Blood dribbled from the wound as Changbin cleaned away the dirt and blood that covered Minho’s abdomen. _

_ “Start applying pressure,” Seungmin said in a serious tone. Jisung had stepped away to avoid getting in the way, but he looked terrified. Felix moved over to him and held out his arms. Jisung didn’t waste any time, he threw himself into Felix’s arms and buried his face in the other’s neck. _

_ He’s going to be okay Sungie, you know that right?” Felix asked, rubbing circles into Jisung’s back. _

_ “I know, i-it’s just so scary to see him l-like this,” Jisung choked out between sobs. Upon arrival, Minho had looked dead. He was barely able to hold his head up or even keep his eyes open. It was scary for all of them. They couldn’t lose someone else that they treasured. _

_ Felix decided to stay with Jisung and keep him away from the chaos in the bedroom. He was able to calm Jisung enough for him to be able to breathe normally again, hiccupping here and there. It was a long time before Changbin exited the bedroom. His hands were stained red with blood. Jisung stared him down intently. _

_ “He’s alive,” Changbin started. Jisung let out an audible sigh of relief, melting at Felix’s side. “He’s awake as well, probably not for long because of the blood loss,” he continued, hinting that it was okay for Jisung to go back into the room. Before entering, Jeongin and Hyunjin walked out. Jeongin sniffled as Hyunjin wiped his tears. Felix led Jisung into the room, Changbin going to the bathroom to wash his hands.  _

_ Seungmin was still in the room. He was seated on the floor, leaning against the bed. He was wiping the blood from his hands with a dirty towel. “He might have just passed out, I don’t know,” Seungmin said quietly, to avoid disturbing Minho just in case he was sleeping. The older male groaned in response. Jisung rushed to the bedside and grabbed Minho’s hand, gripping it tightly. Minho was still pale, but some color was returning. The blood and dirt had been cleaned from his chest and face. White bandages were wrapped around his abdomen, hiding the nasty wound. _

_ “I was so worried, what the hell happened?” Jisung questioned, looking into Minho’s eyes. Felix sat down beside Jisung, giving Minho a kind smile.  _

_ “I wasn’t paying attention, one of them got behind me. When I turned, he jabbed a knife into my side,” Minho explained. Jisung visibly deflated and leaned down towards Minho, kissing his forehead gently. _

_ Felix noticed that Minho was struggling to keep his eyes open. Jisung seemed to realize as well and stood up straight. “Get some sleep my love,” he smiled softly. Minho hummed, his eyes already closed. Seungmin got up with a sigh and opened the door, motioning for Jisung and Felix to follow him out.  _

_ “You did great Seungmin,” Felix complimented the tired boy. Seungmin smiled back. _

_ “Thank you Lix, I was just trying to save him,” Seungmin responded.  _

_ “And you did, he’s going to be alright because of you and Binnie,” Felix said. Seungmin blushed at the praise and turned towards the door of the other bedroom. _

_ “I need to change, I’ll be right back,” Seungmin said before entering the room and closing the door. Felix nodded and made his way to the couch, sitting beside Changbin. _

_ They were okay. _

_ They were going to be okay. _

“It took him a while to start doing jobs with us again,” Changbin spoke up as he buried himself under the covers. Chan and Felix joined him and cuddled together.

“I’m glad everyone is okay, I don’t know what I would’ve done if any of you hadn’t made it,” Chan frowned, holding the two boys close.

“We’re all okay now, don’t worry,” Felix smiled. 

The three boys got comfortable, Changbin reached for the lamp to turn it off and relaxed between the two boys.  
“Goodnight my loves,” he whispered. And with that, Felix fell asleep.

__

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thank you for reading! I hope everyone has a happy holidays!


	8. seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this chapter. Writing filler chapters sometimes takes me a hot second. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

The buzzing of an alarm was what woke Changbin in the morning. He groaned in annoyance and opened his eyes. Chan was beginning to wake up as well. Felix was still curled up, the blankets that had been thrown over his body made him look small. Changbin reached over to the nightstand and turned off the alarm clock.

“Please don’t tell me we actually have to get out of bed,” Changbin whined, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. Chan laughed softly and carefully sat up.

“I honestly don’t know, it depends when Jaebum hyung wants to get you all into training,” Chan responded, rubbing Felix’s back before getting out of the bed. Changbin watched the older male stretch his arms over his head. He saw the scars peeking out beneath the collar of his shirt. Those were new, Chan hadn’t had those before he was taken. Changbin sits up, placing himself behind Chan. His hand rests on Chan’s hip, his lips ghosting over one of the scars that was visible on the back of his neck.

“Oh yeah, those are newer,” Chan laughed softly. Changbin felt the older male shiver under the gentle touch.

“How did you get these?” Changbin wondered. He expected Chan to stay silent or change the subject. Changbin wouldn’t have pressed further if he were to avoid the question. But he didn’t.

“While I was still awake, before they brainwashed me, they would punish me if I stepped out of line,” Chan recounted. “This time was pretty bad, I tried to escape and I almost did, but my ankle still wasn’t healed so I wasn’t fast enough and they caught me,” he continued. Changbin found himself rubbing circles into Chan’s back as he spoke. 

“They beat the absolute shit out of me, whipped me, I thought I was going to die. But here I am,” Chan concluded. Changbin nodded and wrapped his arms around Chan from the back. 

“If there’s ever something you don’t want to talk about, you don’t have to. Just let me know you’re uncomfortable and we’ll move on,” Changbin said. Chan nodded, and took a deep breath, his shoulders deflating as he breathed out. 

“Let’s get moving and see what Jaebum hyung’s plan is,” Chan suggested, patting Changbin’s arm gently. Changbin sat back and turned to Felix who had fallen asleep once again.

“Lix, my love,” Changbin hummed, slowly draping himself over Felix. The younger yelped in surprise and started to squirm underneath the sudden weight. Chan chuckled as Felix turned over onto his back, Changbin falling on top of him.

“Binnie, get off I’m up! I’m up!” Felix whined, playfully hitting Changbin’s back. Changbin placed his hands on the bed and pushed himself up.

“Good morning sunshine,” Changbin grinned down at the other before getting up and off the bed. Once the three were up, cleaned up and dressed, Chan led them out of the room. They first knocked on Minho and Jisung’s door before collecting Seungmin, Hyunjin and Jeongin from the other room. 

“Anyone hungry?” Chan asked, looking around at the group.

“I’m absolutely starving hyung,” Jeongin said. Chan nodded and waved them forward. They made their way down the hall and around the corner to the cafeteria. There were multiple tables set out, the sweet smell of pancakes and maple syrup lingered in the air. Changbin noticed that his mouth had started to water. 

“Here we are, there are different buffet style stations to get food from so go! Don’t stuff yourselves though,” Chan announced to the group. They promptly dispersed and went to get food. Changbin and Felix stayed near Chan as they moved around the cafeteria.

Changbin had rice, soup and meat on his plate while Felix had decided to eat eggs, potatoes and french toast. Chan had eggs and pancakes on his plate. After they had gotten their food, they found a table and waited for the others to join them.

It was their first real meal together in ages. They were able to sit together, talk, eat, laugh. And the food was delicious, the best that Changbin had eaten in quite a while. Although all of them would have preferred to stay in the cafeteria to continue conversing, they were soon approached by Jaebum. He looked less intimidating dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants.

“Good morning, how did everyone sleep?” Jaebum asked. 

“Probably the best sleep I’ve had in months,” Jisung smiled before taking another bite of rice. Jaebum nodded as the others agreed.

“I’m glad. I’m hoping to get you all into training so we can send you out on some minor missions before we go for the government,” Jaebum explains.

“What does the training include?” Minho asked in between bites of food. Jaebum leaned over the table to speak to the group.

“We want to evaluate your skills with hand-to-hand combat, close range weapons, guns and the goal is to improve in those areas. Did you ever receive formal training?” Jaebum wondered.

“Not exactly, we met a few people who were willing to teach us a few things as we traveled. That’s about it,” Changbin spoke up. Jaebum nodded at the answer he had received. 

“Meet me in the training center in half an hour, Channie will show you the way,” Jaebum decided. The group nodded in the response and Jaebum turned to leave. They finished up their breakfast before heading towards the kitchen to leave their dishes and leaving the cafeteria.

“Let’s meet in the hall and I can take you all to the training center,” Chan announced as they made their way back to their rooms.

“Are you going to be training with us hyung?” Jisung wondered.

“As long as Jinyoung hyung doesn’t plan to mother me then yes, I need to sharpen my skills,” Chan laughed. Changbin was in need of some proper training. He had done just fine with what he had been taught in the past, but he definitely wasn’t as good as he could be. And now they could all properly train with the Resistance.

Once they returned to their room, Changbin took the bathroom first so he could freshen up and change into some workout clothes. Chan and Felix both took their turns and soon they met up with the others. 

“Is everyone ready to go?” Chan asked, fixing the sleeves of his black jacket. 

“All ready to go hyung,” Minho smiled. And they were on their way. They headed back towards the main room they had come through when they had first arrived at the Resistance base. Changbin remembered passing the training center the day before. Chan opened the door and allowed everyone in before entering behind them. Jaebum was waiting inside, accompanied by Jackson, Jinyoung and Yugyeom.

“Welcome everyone,” Jaebum smiled, clapping his hands together. Jackson and Yugyeom were in the middle of stretching on the padded floor. Jinyoung walked forward towards Chan, his brows furrowed.

“Are you sure you’re okay to train?” he asked Chan. Chan sighed and gave Jinyoung a knowing look.

“I’m perfectly fine hyung, nothing hurts, I’m not sore…” Chan trailed off, still looking at Jinyoung for approval. The older male let out a distressed sigh. 

“Fine, but if anything starts to bother you, you let me know,” Jinyoung responded. Changbin noticed how worried he was for Chan. He found it quite endearing and felt better knowing there was someone looking after Chan when they had been separated. 

“Alright, let’s start off stretching to avoid unnecessary injury,” Jaebum began, “but I would like to speak with Chan and Minho,” he added before dismissing the group. They made their way to the main may where Jackson and Yugyeom were sitting. Changbin couldn't remember the last time that he focused on stretching. He crossed his arm across his chest and pulled to stretch his shoulder. He felt the ache in his muscle as he released his arm and repeated the stretch with his other arm. He took his time, stretching his back, arms, and legs. 

When everyone finished, they grouped up with Jaebum. “I want Changbin. Hyunjin, Minho and Jisung working on close range and hand-to-hand combat. Seungmin, Jeongin and Felix, I want to start teaching you how to use a selection of weapons,” Chan said. His voice was authoritative but calm, falling back into his “leader” position. 

Changbin excelled in close range combat, so did Hyunjin and Jisung. Felix was also decent with hand-to-hand and frequently went out to participate in jobs the team would handle, but he was better with weapons. Seungmin and Jeongin had both been taught close range combat and weapons but often stayed behind. Seungmin was quite tech savvy and helped by interfering with security cameras, keeping their communication lines up and running, and gathering the information they needed for a job. The two youngest had not expressed the need for their own weapons until they had a close call during a job.

_ They had decided to wait until Minho recovered before taking a high stakes job. They couldn’t afford not having one of their best fighters on the sidelines. In the meantime they accepted small jobs to support themselves. They ended up in another city after Minho had made a full recovery. Ladepar was a smaller city that was home to multiple battling gangs and vigilantes. The military and policing force had almost completely given up on the city which gave them one less thing to worry about.  _

_ They had been tasked with gathering information on a possible gang war from a group of four drug runners from one of the smaller gangs in Ladepar. It wasn’t their preferred work but the client had paid them handsomely. Changbin was just hoping for an easy job. Last time they went on a mission, Minho had gotten stabbed. A clean run was all they wanted this time around.  _

_ Changbin waited with Minho outside the Red Oasis nightclub. Jisung was keeping watch on the rooftop of the building opposite of them. Hyunjin and Felix were currently inside the club. They were tasked with luring the drug runners out of the club and to the secluded space where the attack team was waiting.  _

_ “Any visual on Felix or Hyunjin?” Minho asked, glancing up to the rooftop where Jisung was located. _

_ “Not yet,” Jisung responded seconds later. Changbin was getting a bit nervous. The fact that Felix had to interact and flirt with the drug runners made him uncomfortable. Felix hadn’t been thrilled either but it was their best chance to complete their job.  _

_ “Seungmin, do you see them on any cameras?” Changbin questioned, looking down at the watch on his wrist.  _

_ He heard static in the ear piece before Seungmin’s voice broke through. “Innie hasn’t seen them, I’m working on keeping our communication line clear. Someone is trying to interfere,” Seungmin warned. Minho looked over at Changbin, his eyes narrowed. _

_ “Could anyone have found out about the job?” The older male asked. Changbin furrowed his brow in confusion. _

_ “No one else should know about it,” he responded. After that, Changbin brushed it off, focusing on the people entering and exiting the bar. He checked his watch periodically. Felix and Hyunjin should be coming out soon. It seemed like hours had passed before Jisung’s voice spoke over the ear piece. _

_ “They’re coming out, be ready,” Jisung announced. Changbin and Minho leaned against the wall, striking up a random conversation as Hyunjin and Felix passed with the drug runners. One of the men had his arm wrapped around Felix’s waist, holding on a bit too tight. Minho beckoned Changbin towards the sidewalk to follow the men. As they turned the corner onto a dark street, Hyunjin motioned one of the men towards him. _

_ That’s when Changbin and Minho struck. The drug runners were not prepared for the sudden attack, stumbling over their own feet to try to defend themselves. Felix pushed the man closest to him to the ground and punched him across the face.  _

_ “Son of a bitch,” the man cursed as he grasped for the fabric of Felix’s shirt. Hyunjin grappled with another man, dodged punches and countering with quick jabs. Minho moved quickly, kicking one of the men in the chest, knocking him back. Changbin groaned as the remaining man threw a punch at his ribs. He ducked as the man attacked again before sticking his leg out and tripping him.  _

_ He heard Hyunjin yelp in pain after his opponent pulled out a knife. Changbin moved to help but the man he had been fighting grabbed his ankle, nails digging into his skin. Changbin hissed, pivoting towards the man and stomping on his wrist. His ankle was released and he rushed towards a bleeding Hyunjin. Changbin whipped out a pocket knife and grabbed the man, holding the blade to his throat. _

_ “Move and he dies,” Changbin growls, his other hand wrapped around the man’s wrist to quell his movements. The other drug runners stopped suddenly, surrendering for the time being. Hyunjin winced as he swiped his finger across a small cut on his cheek. _

_ “Thank you for your cooperation,” Minho said coldly, turning to face the gang members. _

_ “What do you want?” the man underneath Felix spat. Minho kept his hand on the gun that was holstered on his belt. Minho squatted down beside the man, staring down at him. _

_ “What’s boss man planning? We know about the hits on rival gangs. You’re making some powerful people angry,” Minho began. The man scoffed, smirking at Minho. _

_ “We don’t pull off the hits, we just run the drugs. We don’t know what the higher ups are doing,” he responded. _

_ “You think another gang will care if a few lowly drug runners get caught up in the crossfire when they start a war?” Minho questioned. The man froze, fear sparking in his eyes. “How stupid are you?” he laughed before standing up. “I know someone here knows something, or else you wouldn’t be in this situation. So if you wanna share with the class that would be lovely,” Minho smiled, eyeing the drug runners expectantly.  _

_ Changbin kept his hold firm, he felt the man tense up at Minho’s statement. He whipped the man around, his back hit the wall hard. Changbin held the tip of the knife millimeters from the man’s throat. _

_ “What do you know?” Changbin demanded. The man looked terrified, eyeing the blade in fear. Changbin continued to push the man against the scratchy brick.  _

_ “I don’t know much, all I know is they want to take over control of the city. Right now the Serpents have the power. Our boss has been planning an attack for months, there’s a whole arsenal of explosives and guns in a hidden bunker. That’s all I know I swear,” the man pleaded. He was shivering in fear. Changbin glanced over at Minho to see if the answer was sufficient. Minho gave him a curt nod and Changbin released the man.  _

_ “I know something,” the man closest to Hyunjin said. Changbin turned to look at the man. He had a crazy smirk on his face, it made Changbin nervous.  _

_ “Guys I can’t get a hold of Seungmin or Jeongin,” Jisung’s frantic voice said over the earpiece. Minho stormed towards the man, grabbing the collar of his shirt. _

_ “What did you do to them?” he growled, eyes filled with pure rage. The man stared right back at Minho, not backing down. “Answer me you piece of shit,” Minho persisted. _

_ “You might want to get back to the motel,” the man suggested. Minho was still for a moment before releasing the man. The drug runner began to step backward but he didn’t get far. Minho pulled out his gun and shot the man straight in the chest. _

_ “Kill them and let’s go,” Minho ordered. Changbin didn’t think twice, plunging the blade into the man’s throat and pulling it back out before releasing him. Blood spewed from the wound onto Changbin’s face. He cringed and turned away, not wanting to watch the man choke on his own blood. Hyunjin held one of the men in a chokehold, waiting until he stopped breathing to release him. Felix held down the last man, watching as he begged and pleaded to be released.  _

_ “I can do it Lix,” Changbin said. Felix responded with a nod and backed off to allow Changbin to slice the man’s throat. Felix jumped away as the man died. _

_ “Jisung, meet us at the club, we’re going back to the motel,” Minho said before the group took off, heading back to the club. Changbin wiped his face, trying to remove the blood the best he could. Jisung joined them moments later. _

_ “What’s wrong? Are they okay?” Jisung asked. _

_ “We don’t know but we need to hurry,” Minho said, pulling out the car keys that the client had given them. They rushed back to the parked car and got inside. Minho took off down the road, his hands clutching the steering wheel. The ride was silent and tense. Hyunjin was playing with his hands, a sign that he was anxious. _

_ “They’re going to be okay Jinnie,” Felix whispered, placing his hand on top of Hyunjin’s wrist. Hyunjin glanced over at him in response, his brows furrowed with worry.  _

_ When they finally arrived, Minho parked the car quickly and everyone got out. Each of them held a weapon. They quietly approached the door where Jisung had his hand on the doorknob. The door was already open, the locking mechanism had been broken. Minho stood on the other side of the doorframe, waiting for Jisung to push open the door. Jisung held up his fingers, counting down from three. On one he pushed the door open and Minho stepped inside, Changbin entering just after him. _

_ “Step away from him,” Minho bellowed. Changbin moved to the side to get a clear view and let the others inside. Jeongin was on the floor, his wrists and ankles bound. There was a cloth gag tied around his head. Changbin heard alarm bells in his head when he noticed the blood pooling around his head. He was still conscious, staring up at them with tears in his eyes. Seungmin sat in a chair, his limbs restrained against the wood. There were dark bruises on his neck, his clothes were ripped and stained with blood. He looked out of it, unable to raise his head. _

_ Two men stood against the far wall, facing away from them. One of the men turned, he looked calm. “How nice for you to join us,” the man smiled.  _

_ “Who the hell are you?” Hyunjin demanded. Changbin could tell he desperately wanted to get to Jeongin and Seungmin. _

_ “Just someone who heard about your little job here. You shouldn’t be meddling with gangs. Don’t you have business with the Capitol?” the man said. _

_ “That’s none of your business,” Minho responded.  _

_ “You have no business with the gangs here in Ladepar but here you are,” the other man said.  _

_ “It’s just a job we took, we’re leaving tomorrow,” Minho answered. He was attempting to deescalate the situation. Changbin had always had a bad feeling about this job. Gangs were uncharted territory.  _

_ “Who are you working for?” the first man asked, taking a step towards Seungmin. Hyunjin flinched, his knuckles turning white from gripping his gun. No one responded which prompted the man to move closer to Seungmin. He revealed the knife in his hand and grabbed Seungmin by his hair, pulling his head back. He placed the blade against his throat.  _

_ “Stop!” Hyunjin yelled. The man looked over at the group expectantly. _

_ “Then answer my question,” the man said. Minho looked conflicted but they had no choice at this point.  _

_ “Someone from the Serpents, I don’t know his name. He contacted us when we got into town and asked us to gather information and take out some drug runners,” Minho explained. Changbin glanced behind him and noticed that Jisung wasn’t there. He didn’t say anything, hopefully Jisung had a plan.  _

_ “We can’t let you leave, that information can’t get out,” the second man said, pulling a pistol from his belt. Jeongin cried out, his screams were muffled by the gag in his mouth. Changbin raised his gun, preparing the shoot.  _

_ The sound of broken glass made Changbin crouch towards the ground. Felix jumped forward, covering Jeongin’s body. Two gunshots rang through the room, followed by heavy thuds. Changbin looked up, Jisung was climbing through the window. The two intruders were bleeding on the floor. _

_ “Hurry, untie them,” Hyunjin said, running forward towards Seungmin. His head had fallen forward again, his body still limp in the chair. Felix was working on cutting the ropes from Jeongin’s wrists and ankles. Changbin grabbed Jeongin, gently placing the younger male in his lap. The right side of his face was covered in blood that had been leaking from the wound on his forehead. Felix gently untied the gag, pulling it from Jeongin’s mouth. _

_ “Hyung,” Jeongin whined, his body trembling in Changbin’s arms. _

_ “It’s okay, you’re safe now Innie,” Felix whispered. _

_ “Is Minnie okay?” Jeongin sniffled. Changbin looked over at Seungmin. Hyunjin had taken Seungmin to the bed and laid him down. Jisung had pulled out the first aid kit and started to empty it. _

_ “He’s going to be okay, now let’s get you onto the bed,” Changbin reassured the youngest. Jeongin nodded weakly. Changbin let go off Jeongin for a second so he could stand up and pick him up. He laid Jeongin on the other bed while Felix grabbed bandages from Jisung.  _

_ “Bin, can you grab some water and rubbing alcohol?” Felix asked, brushing Jeongin’s hair away from his forehead. Changbin nodded and headed to the fridge to grab a water bottle and the rubbing alcohol from the first aid kit. He also grabbed a washcloth from the bathroom. He handed the water bottle and cloth to Felix. Felix opened the water bottle, pouring some onto the washcloth and carefully pressing it to the cut. Jeongin tensed at the sudden contact.  _

_ “Can you tell us what happened?” Changbin asked. He looked over Jeongin’s body, scanning for any other wounds. He noticed the dark bruising on Jeongin’s wrist and grabbed the cold water bottle to hold against the bruises. _

_ “Uh, we were just waiting for Felix hyung and Jinnie to get out, and we were trying to fix the communication line. Someone was trying to hack in. And then they just barged in,” Jeongin explained. Changbin nodded, he didn’t want Jeongin to relive the entire experience just after it happened. _

_ “We can talk about it more later. Right now I want you to rest,” Changbin smiled down at the young male.  _

_ “Hyung, I want to learn to protect myself,” Jeongin sniffled, tears filling his eyes. Changbin rubbed his uninjured arm gently. _

_ “I’ll teach you when you’re feeling better,” Changbin promised. Felix continued to clean the wound. The cut was about two inches long and disappeared into his hairline. He disinfected the area with rubbing alcohol before wrapping Jeongin’s head with bandages. Changbin moved over to Seungmin while Jeongin fell asleep. _

_ They had finished cleaning his wounds and bandaging the majority of them. He still hadn’t woken up. _

_ After everyone had calmed down, Minho began cleaning up the room, cleaning up the blood and broken glass. Jisung sat down with a sigh. _

_ “I’m sure I speak for everyone, so can we not work with gangs anymore?” _

“Alright, let's get started,” Jaebum clapped his hands to disperse the group. Changbin broke off with Hyunjin, Jisung and Minho. Jackson and Yugyeom were waiting for them on one of the mats.

"How are you feeling hyung," Hyunjin asked. Changbin let out a soft sigh and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm just hoping they don't give us shit for the few hours of training we got while traveling the country," Changbin joked.

"I have a feeling we're going to be quite sore after today. But let's just do our best and learn something," Minho butted in, elbowing Changbin in the arm in a playful manner.

"So, I know you have mentioned not really receiving any formal training," Jackson mentioned. Minho nodded in response.

"We learned just about everything from people who were willing to help us while we were traveling," Hyunjin answered.

"Well it was obviously good enough to keep you alive. And you haven't lost a limb," Yugyeom stated. Changbin stared at him, his eyes widening. Yugyeom burst out into laughter, slapping Jackson's arm. "I'm joking, but also not really. It's always good to keep your limbs, so congrats," he added, still laughing.

“I hope you boys don’t mind getting your ass handed to you,” Jackson grinned as they stepped onto the mat.

“Listen I may not have the best training but I can handle myself,” Minho scoffed.

Minho did in fact get his ass handed to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, I do hope you are enjoying the story.
> 
> I was not exactly sure to how write a whole training scene so I added another flashback just to keep things interesting. 
> 
> I'm going to try to best to be consistent with uploads but I started school again so I have to balance this with all of my classes. But I am excited to continue writing.
> 
> Hope you have a great day AND VOTE FOR SKZ ON THE SMA APP!!


	9. eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for a more action packed chapter :)))
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“Do you think they’re ready for an actual mission?” Jaebum asked. Chan sat across the table from the older male, his hands rested on the table, fingers tapping against the wood.

“They are, but I’m worried about them,” Chan responded, looking over at Jaebum.

“Why are you worried? They've been doing well in training, they can handle a mission,” Jaebum stated, watching the others' reaction. 

“I don’t know, I just don’t want them to get hurt,” Chan admitted. Jaebum nodded slowly and walked over to Chan, looking down at the younger male.

“Have faith in them, we won’t send you anywhere too horrible yet. We need to make sure they get a hold of our system and how we run things around here,” Jaebum explained, hoping to get Chan on his side.   
“What’s the mission?” Chan wondered as he started to warm up to the idea.

“We located a small base outside of Hillwood. If we can get in there and hook up to the computers, we can download any new information that they’ve received,” Jaebum answered. Chan nodded. It was doable, he knew that. 

“I’ll let them know, when are we leaving?” Chan asked. Jaebum smiled at the response.

“In an hour if possible, let them know to get dressed and head to the briefing room. After that they can pick up their gear in the armory, everything will be prepared,” Jaebum said. Chan stood up and nodded his head.

“Alright, I’ll see you soon hyung,” Chan smiled before exiting the room. He headed back to his room that he shared with Felix and Changbin. They had all been at the Resistance base for two weeks. They trained every single day for hours, improving each day. Chan knew that they could handle a mission, especially one that was planned for them. When he reached the doorway, he knocked before entering. 

“Channie?” Changbin called out. Chan entered the main part of the room. Felix was sitting on the bed gently massaging Changbin’s back.

“Jaebum offered us a mission,” Chan announced. Changbin looked up excitedly.

“What kind of mission?” he wondered. Chan smiled as he approached the two. He took a seat on the edge of the bed beside Changbin.

“A smaller Capitol base was found nearby, we need to get in and download information, something small to get everyone used to the way things work around here,” Chan explained. Felix nodded his head in understanding, still massaging the knots out of Changbin’s back. 

Changbin had been working tirelessly with Jackson, spending hours in the training room. He would stay past the time Jaebum suggested they stay. There had been multiple nights when Changbin would come back to the room dripping with sweat, swaying on his feet from exhaustion. Chan and Felix would gladly come to his aid, helping him get cleaned up and ready for bed.

“When are we leaving?” Felix asked, looking over at Chan. 

“In an hour, I’m gonna tell the others,” Chan said before getting off of the bed and heading for the door.

It didn’t take long for them to prepare. They had each been given a set of clothes to wear on missions. It consisted of black pants, a black shirt, and boots. The other tactical gear was stored in the armory.

Chan laced up his boots and stood up. Felix and Changbin were dressed and waiting by the door. Chan let out a sigh and made his way to the door. Jisung and Minho were exiting their room as Chan got out into the hall. Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jeongin were already waiting.

“Are we ready?” Chan asked, looking around at his team. They looked excited, ready to get back in the field. The nods were a good enough answer for him. He began to lead them down the hall towards the briefing room. Minho jogged up to Chan’s side.

“I can tell you’re worried,” he said quietly. Chan gazed over at him and shook his head.

“Is it that obvious?” Chan wondered, raising an eyebrow. Minho shook his head.

“Not really. And remember, you said this mission isn’t risky,” Minho pointed out. Chan nodded in understanding.

“I know, and I have faith in all of you, we’re going to be just fine,” Chan reassured the younger. They arrived at the briefing room moments later. Jaebum and Jinyoung were waiting for them inside.

“Take a seat please,” Jinyoung smiled, motioning to the table. The team sits down around the table, waiting for the briefing to begin.

“Alright, Resistance search teams have located a small Capital base in the surrounded forest. The main goal is information retrieval. I’ll be giving Seungmin a hard drive, you just need to download the secured files,” Jaebum began. 

“How many people are in the building?” Jisung asked, leaning over the table.

“From what we’ve gathered from surveillance, about twenty five,” Jinyoung answered.

“What do you know about their patrol patterns? How many guards patrol at a time?” Chan inquired.

“The patrol passes your point of entry every five minutes, I’ll show you the building and the surroundings in a second. There are two guards on each patrol and they switch out every three hours,” Jaebum responded. Jinyoung walked over to the computer and turned on the projector. On the screen cast on the wall was photos of the base. It was surrounded by a barbed wire fence, leaving about 6 feet from the fence to the building. The cars were partially hidden by bushes and trees.

“Do you know the inside layout?” Minho questioned as he analyzed the picture that was displayed on the wall.

“We do not. We haven’t gotten close enough to get inside or get pictures,” Jaebum shook his head. He walks towards the wall, pointing at one spot along the fence. “This is the western side of the building. Last time we checked, the window was boarded up because it was broken. We have wire cutters for the fence,” he continued with his explanation. “There is only one door that leads inside, so you can either go through that way or you could possibly go through the window. Are there any other questions?” Jaebum wondered.

No one responded, seeming to understand the mission. “Perfect, I’ll take you all down to the armory where all your gear is packed,” Jinyoung smiled. They all rose from their seats and followed Jinyoung out of the room.

“So what’s our plan?” Hyunjin asked as they passed through the main control room, heading towards the armory and the garage.

“I’ve been thinking about that, I’ll let you all know what I think when we’re in the truck,” Chan responds. Jinyoung turns the corner into the armory. They all have their own lockers now so they can store their gear. Chan grabs the bag from his locker and heads to the racks of guns. He grabs two hand guns and enough ammunition. 

Jaebum and Jinyoung arm the others. Minho and Changbin are given assault rifles, while Felix, Seungmin, Hyunjin and Jeongin are given handguns. Jisung was also given a handgun, but they had also been given his sniper rifle. There was an assortment of sheathed knives in the bags that had been prepared for them. Chan walked over to Felix and Changbin who were gathering their things.

“Are you ready?” Chan asked. Felix nodded excitedly, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

“I’m ready to get outside, smell the fresh air,” Changbin laughed.

“If you’re all set, we can head to the garage, the car is ready for you,” Jinyoung announced. Chan made sure the safety was enabled on both guns before placing them in his bag. They finally made their way into the garage. The car they were going to use was waiting for them. Jaebum walked over to Chan and handed him the key.

“The location is inputted in the GPS, the radios are working so if you need to you can contact HQ,” Jaebum explained.

“Alright, we wish you the best of luck. Stay safe,” Jinyoung smiled. Chan nodded and walked over to the driver side door. Changbin took the passenger seat while the others piled into the back. The back of the van was open, a line of seats lining the walls opposite of each other. Chan put the key in the ignition and started the car. 

“So what are we thinking for a plan of entrance?” Jisung asked, placing his bag and gun case on the floor. 

“I was thinking we just go in the front door, getting everyone through the window is going to take too long. The patrols will catch us before we get everyone in,” Minho said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Chan nodded as he drove the van out of the garage. 

“That’s probably the best plan. Once we get in we should split up into two groups. I also think Jisung should keep watch outside, have the sniper watching the building for us,” Chan suggested. Jisung nodded in understanding.

“I can do that,” he responded. “If I’m staying outside then we should put Seungmin in the group of four so he can focus on getting the information we need,” Jisung recommended. 

“We can put Seungmin with Chan hyung, Changbin and Hyunjin. Felix and Jeongin can come with me,” Minho decided. Chan didn’t have any objections and kept driving.

It took them twenty five minutes to reach the base. It was still light outside, but Chan turned off the headlights and drove a short way away to keep the car hidden. Once parked, Chan opened his bag and pulled out his gloves, he put them on, making sure they were strapped on tight. 

“Earpieces are in the white cases, make sure they’re in and turned on before we leave the car,” Chan announced as he opened the small case. He turned on the earpiece and put it in. He pulled out his bulletproof vest and strapped that on as well. 

It didn’t take long for everyone to gear up. Chan and Changbin joined the others in the back of the van. “Alright, remember what we talked about. Also Jisung, I don’t want you getting too close to the fence just in case they happen to take a patrol too close to you,” Chan said.

“Let’s head out, when the patrol passes we get through the fence and make our way to the door. Once we’re in, we split,” Minho emphasized as the group exited the van. Jisung had gone the opposite way towards a hill that would give him a good view of the base and the surrounding area. The rest of the group stealthily made their way towards the base, stopping at the treeline near the fence. 

They waited until the patrol passed and turned the corner before making their way up to the fence. Changbin had the large wire cutters and quickly began cutting away at the metal fence. Chan pulled the severed parts away to make the opening bigger, his hands protected by his gloves. Once the whole was wide enough, Chan ushered everyone through before going through himself.

“You guys are good, the patrol is stopped on the opposite side of the building. When you get in, watch your backs because they’ll probably come through the front when they hear gunshots,” Jisung’s advised through the earpiece.

“Copy that,” Minho whispered as the group walked along the wall of the building. When they reached the corner, Hyunjin looked around first.

“There are two standing guard at the door, no one else outside,” Hyunjin said.

“Okay, we’re just going to have to turn and shoot, get inside and go,” Chan decided. He checked that his handguns were loaded one more time and clicked the safety off. Minho moved towards Chan at the front of the group, rifle in hand. They waited for a moment, then Chan turned. He raised his gun and fired at the man closest to him. Minho was right behind him, firing at the furthest guard. 

“Changbin watch our backs, let's go,” Chan said as they reached on the doors. Hyunjin arrived at the doors first, kicking them open with force. There were already soldiers rounding the corner from the hallway. Jeongin turned and fired two shots, taking out one of the guards. From the rear, Chan heard Changbin’s gun go off, taking care of the soldiers that had been on patrol. One of the soldiers rushed at Hyunjin with a dagger. Hyunjin ducked, elbowing the man in the stomach to create some distance between them before raising his gun and firing. 

“Minho’s group takes the first floor, my group is heading upstairs. If you guys find the control room let us know and we’ll meet up with you,” Chan announced. And with that, the team split up. Chan let Changbin take the lead while he took up the rear. Hyunjin and Seungmin stayed in the middle. Once they reached the top of the staircase they turned right down a short hallway before taking a quick left. Chan kept his focus on his surroundings, ignoring the gunfire from downstairs. If a problem arose, someone would talk over the earpiece. 

Loud footsteps came from one of the rooms down the hall before four men stormed out into the hall. Changbin fired multiple times, taking out two of the guards. One of the soldiers whipped out his gun and fired quickly. Chan heard a yelp of pain and charged forward. He shoved Seungmin behind him and fired his guns at the third man. Hyunjin quickly subdued the last man and Chan turned his attention to Seungmin who was holding his arm.

“Let me see,” Chan spoke softly, holstering his gun before holding his hands out to Seungmin. Changbin and Hyunjin watched their surroundings while Chan helped Seungmin. The younger slowly removed his hand from the wound.

“It’s only a graze, nothing too bad. I’ll wrap it up and we’ll clean it up when we get back to the van,” Chan explained, reaching into the small pack that he attached to his vest and pulling out a roll of bandages. He quickly wrapped Seungmin’s arm and put the bandages away.   
Gunfire began again as two more men came down the hallway that the group had just come from. The soldiers were quickly subdued by Changbin and Hyunjin. The continued on down the hall, making a complete circle before ending up at the staircase.

“Have you guys found the control room?” Seungmin said. Chan heard his voice through his earpiece. 

“No, you haven’t either?” Minho responded.

“No, you guys checked every room?” Chan wondered.

“Every room. There’s also no way we have taken out all the Capitol soldiers,” Felix said. Chan was clueless, deep in thought. He started to think, trying to remember any helpful details from his time under the Capitol’s control. He winced as his head began to ache.

“Channie?” Changbin questioned, making his way towards Chan. He hissed in pain and held his head. Soon, the pain subsided. Chan took a shaky breath and wiped sweat from his brow. 

“It’s gotta be underground, there's gotta be a secret entrance in the wall. I’ve seen similar things in other bases,” Chan relayed the information to his group.

“Meet by the staircase, Chan hyung says it’s gotta be underground,” Hyunjin said. Chan rubbed his head and followed the group down the staircase. The other group was rounding the corner. 

“Channie what’s wrong?” Felix frowned, walking over to Chan after he noticed the pained look on the older male’s face.

“It’s okay, just a headache,” Chan reassured him, dropping his hands from his head.

“Youngjae hyung said he gets headaches periodically. And he did remember a secret entrance to a basement after he got the headache,” Changbin explained. Felix looked calmer, but his worry was still visible.

“Did you see anything out of place along the walls? Anything suspicious?” Chan asked the other group. Minho looked down the hall that they had just come from, brow furrowed.

“Possibly, there was an indentation in the wall back here,” he mentioned, pointing down towards the end of the hall. The group followed Minho down the hall. As they reached the end of the hall, Chan noticed the indentation that Minho had mentioned. It was small, but large enough for someone to place their hand inside the indent. So Chan tried it. He placed his hand inside the indent and pushed. The wall moved back, causing Chan to step away. Soon, an opening had been revealed. There was a staircase leading down. Chan pulled his guns from their holsters and turned back to the group.

“How many soldiers did you guys run into?” Chan asked the group that had checked the main level.

“Only three,” Felix replied. Chan nodded.

“That means there should be seven downstairs. Keep an eye out, and be ready to shoot. People, not computers,” Chan clarified, earning a few soft laughs. He then turned to the staircase, leading the way down to the basement. Once they reached the bottom of the staircase, they encountered a door leading to the control room. Chan let Minho and Changbin in front, one on each side of the door. The oldest held up his hand, counting down from three. When he reached one, he kicked the door down, allowing Changbin and Minho to rush in first. The gunfire was immediate. Hyunjin went through the doorway next, taking out the last man in the room. 

“Is everyone okay?” Jisung asked, checking in with the rest of the team.

“We found the control room, we’ll only be a few more minutes,” Minho replied. Seungmin had headed towards the computer in the center of the room. Jeongin followed behind him, fussing over the bandage wrapped around his arm. 

“Are you feeling okay now?” Felix asked, looking over at the older male. Chan nodded with a soft smile.

“I’m okay, I haven’t really gotten a headache recently. I’ll just let Youngjae hyung know when we get back,” Chan said. The pain had subsided. He looked around the room and noticed there was something wrong. There were six bodies, there were supposed to be seven people in the control room. Maybe Jaebum had been wrong and there were only twenty four people that had resided in the base. He decided to stay vigilant, just to be safe. 

“Shouldn’t be too long, I just got into the secured files. They just need to download,” Seungmin informed the others. Hyunjin had taken a seat on the desk beside Seungmin as they watched the progress of the download. Surprisingly, the download didn’t take long. Seungmin took out the hard drive and placed it into the bag attached to his vest.

“Alright let’s-,” Minho began, but he was interrupted by a new voice.

“So it’s true,” the voice said. Chan turned, his guns raised. There was a man in the doorway, just watching them. “Bang Chan is alive,” the man hummed. Chan had a moment of realization and his eyes widened.

“I knew you would remember me,” the man chuckled. Felix stood up straight, taking a step forward. 

“You’re not getting out of here alive,” Chan snarled, ready to fire at any moment.

“Oh I’m aware, but the Capitol knows you’re alive now. We thought you had perished in the explosions at the facility, so this is quite disappointing for us,” the man sighed. Chan’s eyes narrowed.

“There’s something you want to say to me, if you didn’t you would’ve run,” Chan realized. The man nodded slowly, gazing around the room at the weapons all trained on him. “Spit it out,” Chan sneered, stepping forward. The man smirked, eyeing Chan fearlessly.

“The Capitol knows a lot about your team here,” the man revealed.

“How do you know?” Changbin demanded. The man let out a sinister sounding laugh.

“Let’s just say we’ve done a little roundup in Aresvale,” the man said. Chan had had enough at his point. He fired two shots right into the man’s chest.

“What the hell?” Minho growled. “Who the hell was that?” he questioned. Chan let out a shaky breath as he holstered his guns.   
“Can we go?” Chan pleaded, his voice soft and shaky. Changbin nodded and began to lead Chan up the staircase. Minho muttered something under his breath, but Chan didn’t catch it. He assumed it was about Chan killing the man so suddenly and that they could’ve used him for information. Chan already had an idea about what he meant.

“All good Sung, you can meet us back at the van,” Felix said, his hand placed gently on Chan’s back. Chan was quiet as they exited the building and headed through the front gate. He had been rescued six months ago, but he hadn’t expected to encounter anyone he recognized at this small Capitol base. 

Jisung was already waiting by the van when they arrived. He smiled widely, but it dropped when he noticed the tension surrounding the group. “I-I’ll get the first aid kit,” he said softly once he noticed Seungmin’s arm. Chan fished the keys out from his bag and tossed them to Changbin who caught them in the air.

“Lix you can sit up front with Binnie,” Chan said softly. Felix looked distraught by Chan’s mood change but nodded. They filed into the van, Chan sat closest to the front near Felix and Changbin. 

“HQ, this is Felix. Mission success, we’re on our way back,” Felix said over the radio that had been left in the van for them. After that, the van was silent for a few minutes. Changbin maneuvered the van out of the woods and back to the road. Jeongin had begun to clean the wound on Seungmin’s arm, the injured male flinching in pain.

“So what happened back there?” Minho broke the silence, staring over at Chan.

“That was Lee Sanghoon, he was the one who was in charge of the prisoners they experimented on in the Capitol,” Chan explained. He still hadn’t looked up, instead he gazed down at his trembling hands. He noticed the Minho backed down, shrinking into his seat. “I know you have other questions,” Chan added, finally looking up.

“What did he mean by a roundup in Aresvale?” Hyunjin asked warily. Chan pursed his lips. He didn’t want to answer the question, but he couldn’t keep the truth from them.

“Before I tell you what I think, I want to check to make sure it actually happened. He loved to tell lies,” Chan answered truthfully. He had been a victim to Sanghoon’s lies before, he couldn’t let lies get to the team. 

The tension had faded. Everyone was tired and had resorted to resting their eyes or having hushed conversations with one another. Chan leaned against the back of Felix’s seat, the latter reaching back to massage the former’s hair. 

It was dark outside now, the trees blocking out light from the moon. Finally, they arrived back at the Resistance Headquarters. The team packed their things back into their bags as Changbin pulled into the garage. There were a few workers leading Changbin into a parking space. Once they were parked they unloaded all of their things. Jaebum, Jackson and Youngjae were waiting for them as they entered the main control room.

“How was it?” Jaebum asked. He then noticed Chan’s distress and furrowed his brow in confusion.

“I need to check Capitol soldiers' movements in the past two weeks,” Chan said, walking into the room. He found a computer that wasn’t being used and sat down in the chair. The others gathered around, trying to find out what he was looking for. He sifted through files until he found what he was looking for. 

Sanghoon was being truthful.

Capitol soldiers had descended on Aresvale. 

Chan then moved on to his next concern. He pulled up a list of known prisoners of the Capitol. He scrolled, hoping that he wouldn’t stumble upon a familiar name. 

But this world wasn’t kind.

He stopped scrolling and sat back in the chair, his head in his hands.

Kim Hongjoong.

“What is that? Why is Hongjoong hyung’s name there?” Jisung questioned frantically, moving closer to scan the list. As his eyes scanned the list, he muttered other names that Chan assumed that he recognized. “Jongho isn’t on this list, what is this list for?” Jisung asked.

“The Capitol raided Aresvale last week. They must’ve heard that the Resistance had been in town…” he trailed off. “This is a list of prisoners that were taken from Aresvale,” Chan answered. The silence was heavy. 

“My guess is they’re either in the Capitol or in another holding facility halfway between Aresvale in the Capitol,” Jaebum inferred. Chan felt the pain in his head flare up. He bit his lip to hide his pain.

“That Sanghoon guy said the Capitol knows Chan hyung is alive and they know a lot about us,” Jeongin spoke up. Jaebum nodded in understanding.

“Then they must be in the Capitol,” Youngjae said. He then noticed Chan, he could tell that the younger was in pain.

“Chan have you had any headaches?” Youngjae asked. Chan nodded, rubbing his forehead. “Come on, you should go lie down. Innie, Hyunjin, you two can take Seungmin down to the infirmary. The rest of you should get some rest as well,” he continued, helping Chan out of the chair, Changbin and Felix close by. 

“Wait, what about Hongjoong hyung and the others? We also don’t know where Jongho is,” Hyunjin wondered.

“I’ll talk with the council about what we can do,” Jaebum promised. The group was hesitant but decided to call it a night. Jeongin, Seungmin and Hyunjin broke away from the group to go to the infirmary. Youngjae accompanied Chan, Changbin and Felix to their room. 

Once inside, Felix led Chan to the bed. Chan groaned, laying back on the mattress. Felix untied the older males shoes and placed them back by the door.

“You were remembering things, right?” Youngjae asked Chan. Chan nodded as he curled up on the bed. “Alright, I’ll go grab some painkillers for you, then you should get some rest,” Youngjae said before leaving the room.

“I’m worried about Hongjoong and the others,” Felix said as he unlaced his boots.

“I am too. I hope Jongho is okay. We need to go to Aresvale to find him,” Changbin added.

“We’re going to get them back, I promise,” Chan said. Felix moved over to the bed, sitting on the edge. Changbin joined them a moment later.

“You should change into something more comfortable so you can go to sleep after Youngjae comes back,” Changbin suggested. 

“Okay,” Chan groaned as he sat up. That night, all he felt was guilt. There were people getting hurt who shouldn’t have been involved. 

Chan promised himself and his team that they would get their friends back safely. 

Sweat dripped down his face, his nails dug into his palms as he gazed across the room at the figure on the ground.

“I’ll ask you one more time Hongjoong,” the man hummed from behind the chair Hongjoong was restrained to. “Where did they go? Where is the Resistance base located?” the man asked.

“I don’t know I swear,” Hongjoong pleaded. There was a raspy yell from across the room moments later. “Seonghwa! Please stop I don’t know where the base is,” Hongjoong yelled as the other man in the room pressed the taser into Seonghwa’s side once more.

“We’re not getting anywhere. We’ll be back later,” the man behind Hongjoong huffed in annoyance. The metal cuffs around Hongjoong’s wrists unlocked, but Hongjoong could only slump against the chair as the men left the room. He shakily got to his feet and rushed to Seonghwa’s side.

“Hey, I’m here. You’re okay,” Hongjoong whispered, placing the older males head into his lap. He brushed his sweat soaked hair out of his face and wiped blood from his chin. “We’re going to be okay,” he promised as a tear fell from his eye.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading!
> 
> I'm super excited to keep writing, especially since we're getting to the good stuff.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	10. nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, school is kind of kicking my ass. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“We arrive in Aresvale in five minutes, everyone has their tasks. The Capitol soldiers should be gone by now since they left the city for dead. Are there any questions?” Jackson said from the back of the vehicle. The Resistance had sent about 150 people to help assess the situation in Aresvale and help survivors. 

Felix fidgeted in his seat, he was worried. It had been four days since they had learned of the attack on Aresvale. They had been working together with Jaebum’s team to create a plan to help the people who hadn’t or couldn’t flee the city. Changbin’s hand rested on Felix’s thigh, he could tell the younger male was nervous. None of them knew what they would see once they arrived. 

Finally, the vehicle stopped and everyone filed out of the vehicle. Felix looked around, staying close to Changbin and Chan. Some of the buildings had been burned, there was debris in the streets from small explosions. People were timidly exiting their homes to see the newcomers. Chan rounded up their team and let Minho take charge.

“You guys know this place better than I do, where are we going?” Chan asked, slinging a bag over his shoulder.

“We should check the tavern first, if he’s not there we can ask around. The neighboring businesses know him pretty well and someone may have taken him in,” Minho announced. The tavern was about three blocks away, closer to the harbor and past the center of the city. Other Resistance fighters were dispersing from the main group, checking destroyed buildings to find survivors. As they got deeper into the city, the more destruction they saw.

They passed a few buildings that had completely collapsed. There were dark stains on the sidewalks and roads. It made Felix shiver. What had happened here? It felt like they had been moving for ages when they finally approached the tavern. The doors had been smashed in and were hanging from the hinges. 

“Jongho? Are you here? It’s Seungmin,” Seungmin announced. Felix waited for a moment, hoping that they would get a response. They were met with silence. 

“Let’s search the building first, then we can ask the neighbors,” Minho decided. Felix nodded and broke off from the group, Chan and Changbin by his side. Felix decided to check upstairs. As he walked, he stepped over pieces of broken chairs and tables. Glass crunched beneath his feet as he walked. Changbin made it to the staircase first and was making his way up. Chan was behind Felix, looking around at the damage. When Changbin reached the top, he opened the door and stepped inside.

“Jongho?” he called out. The upstairs wasn’t as destroyed, just a few overturned couches and toppled bookshelves. They searched everywhere, underneath the beds, in the closets, the bathroom, underneath piles of blankets. But they found nothing. 

“I don’t think he’s here. If he knew there were people willing to take him in, he wouldn’t be here,” Felix concluded when their search of the upstairs ended. 

“Where could he be?” Chan asked, opening the door to let Felix and Changbin through.

“My guess is the hotel across the street, the owners adore him,” Felix responded. Changbin nodded in agreement. 

“Find anything?” Hyunjin called out to them. Felix shook his head as he descended down the stairs. Minho and Jisung were exiting the back room.

“Nothing here,” Jisung added. 

“Where is he?” Jeongin asked worriedly. 

“Lix thinks he could be at the hotel across the street,” Changbin spoke up. Seungmin’s eyes lit up at the statement. 

“Let’s check!” Jisung exclaimed, hopping over the debris to make it to the door. Felix made his way outside soon after. By this point there were other Resistance fighters making it further into the city, continuing to offer aid to terrified victims. Jisung and Hyunjin were crossing the street, heading down the sidewalk until they reached the door to the inn. When Hyunjin went to open the usually unlocked door, it didn’t budge. 

“Ajhumma, Ahjusshi? It’s Jisung, can we come in?” Jisung called out as he knocked on the door. There was silence for a moment. Then Felix thought he heard shuffling from inside. Suddenly, he heard the locking mechanisms moving. Then the door opened slowly. It was Choi Daeshim, the owner of the inn. The old man looked relieved to see some familiar faces.

“Come in boys, how did you get here?” Daeshim asked as he moved to let them inside.

“The Resistance is here to help,” Minho responded. The old man nodded, seeming more at ease. His eyes then found Chan.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you before,” he recalled. 

“This is Chan, he was rescued by the Resistance a few months back,” Felix said. 

“I’ve heard a lot about you young man,” he smiled kindly. Chan bowed his head in respect. “Now I assume you’re looking for Jongho,” he added. Seungmin perked up.

“Is he here?” Seungmin asked, his eyes wide.

“He’s just down the hall, Soyoung is with him. We haven’t been able to get him to a hospital since the Capitol soldiers burned it down. He’s in dire need of actual medical help,” Daeshim explained. Before anyone could ask more questions, the old man beckoned them to follow. They walked down the hall to one of the bedrooms. The door was cracked open as they approached. Daeshim knocked on the door and opened it to allow the boys to enter. Felix’s eyes widened when he saw Jongho.

His skin was pale with the exception of yellowing bruises. The left leg of his pants had been partially cut away to reveal the wounds covering his leg. Daeshim’s wife Soyoung was seated in a chair beside the bed, gently cleaning Jongho’s wounds.

“Oh my god,” Jeongin breathed out, his hands covering his mouth. Felix moved forward slowly, kneeling beside the bed. Soyoung looked down at him with a sad smile as she continued to clean the wounds.

“Hey, Jongho,” Felix said softly, gently smoothing out Jongho’s hair. Jongho opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to look at Felix. His lips twitched into a smile for a moment. 

“Hongjoong hy-,” he began, but Felix nodded in understanding.

“We know, we’re gonna get them all back,” Felix replied. Minho had now stepped forward and was speaking with Soyoung, Chan was nearby searching through his bag.

“We’re going to take him back to the Resistance with us. But over the next few days, the Resistance is going to start relocating people. You too can go to another town that will offer you work, food and temporary housing until you’re stable again,” Minho explained to the older couple. 

Chan pulled a medical kit out of his bag and walked over to Jongho. “Hey, my name is Chan. Lixie has told me a lot about you. We’re going to take you back to the Resistance with us and get you all fixed up,” Chan said gently. Jongho took a shaky breath as he held out his hand. The older male took his hand and smiled. 

“We need to wrap his leg and find a way to get him back to the cars,” Chan said to Felix. 

“Ahjumma, we can help you pack some things. They’ll take care of Jongho,” Minho smiled gently. The old woman nodded reluctantly but got up from her seat. Minho, Jisung and Jeongin went to help the older couple pack while the others stayed behind. 

“Are there any other wounds we need to know about?” Seungmin asked, moving closer to the bed. Jongho nodded slowly and released Chan’s hand so he could lift his shirt. His abdomen was covered by a large white bandage.

“Really nasty floorburn,” Jongho laughed softly. “Soyoung-ssi said it’s starting to get better,” he added. His voice was quiet and scratchy.

“Can I take a quick look?” Seungmin asked. Jongho nodded in response. Seungmin carefully lifted the bandage. Felix saw the massive abrasion on Jongho’s stomach and shivered at the thought of how painful it was. 

“It’s definitely healing which is nice,” Seungmin smiled as he covered the wound. Along with the nasty wounds on his leg and the abrasions across his abdomen, Jongho’s arms were covered in scrapes that had scabbed over. Felix stood back as Seungmin began to wrap Jongho’s leg. He was curious to find out what had happened. How had Jongho escaped the Capitol soldiers with his leg in such bad shape?

“This is Chan, we’re down at the hotel on 18th street by the harbor. Can we get a medical truck? We have a victim who shouldn’t be walking,” Chan said into the walkie talkie that he had been given. 

“Heard, we’ll have one down in about five minutes,” a staticky voice responded. Chan thanked the man at the other end and put the walkie talkie away. Hyunjin was seated near Seungmin, watching as the other worked.

“Jongo, how did you escape?” Chan asked. Jongho let out a shaky sigh, flinching from the pain. Seungmin whispered apologies to him as he continued. 

“Seonghwa hyung asked me to head up to the market so I wasn’t at the tavern when the soldiers came. There was an explosion inside the market, I was far enough away so it only got my leg. But I got thrown a bit from the blast. There were people nearby who came to help and get survivors from inside. Then, then I-” Jongho shivered, cutting himself off with a shaky breath.

“Take your time, you’re okay,” Chan smiled sadly, watching the boy relive his recent trauma.

“They dragged them down the street to one of the vehicles they used to block off the street. Yeosang hyung saw me, so they know I’m not dead,” Jongho continued. “They didn’t look too good. They were bloody and bruised, they basically had to carry Yunho hyung,” Jongho’s body trembled.

“Thank you for telling us Jongho, we’re going to get them back don’t worry,” Felix said softly. Jongho nodded and relaxed once more. Felix didn’t even realize that Changbin had left the room until he entered again.

“The truck is here, I told them to bring in a stretcher so he doesn’t move his back or neck too much,” Changbin told Felix. Felix cocked his head to the side in confusion.

“His back?” he asked, Chan made his way over to them. 

“Soyoung-ssi said that he had been complaining about his neck and back hurting. We just want to be cautious in case he has a spinal injury,” Changbin said quietly. The sound of heavy boots alerted them to the presence of the Resistance medics entering the hotel. They soon reached the door, one of the men carried a spinal board. Mark followed the few other medics, the familiar face made Felix more relaxed. Seungmin and Hyunjin moved over to allow the medics space to access the situation. 

“Hi Jongho, my name is Mark. Can you tell me how you’re feeling?” Mark asked as the other medics placed the board on the other side of the bed and prepared to move Jongho. One of the medics carefully strapped a neck brace around Jongho’s neck.

“My leg hurts really bad, it’s burned and scraped up. My stomach and arms are scraped up and my neck and back have been hurting a lot,” Jongho explained. He grit his teeth, and squeezed his eyes shut as the medics moved him onto the board.

“We’re going to get him out of here, come back to the group when you’re ready to leave,” Mark said as he followed the medics out of the hotel. Felix watched as they placed the Jongho onto a stretcher and into the back of the truck. As the car drove away, Changbin and Chan turned back to enter the hotel. Felix looked over at the Tavern with a sigh before turning back to the hotel.

They spent the rest of the day roaming through the city, helping people pack their things into transfer vans that waited to take people to neighboring villages. Some people even decided to come back to the Resistance and join their ranks. 

Felix’s feet ached by the time they returned to base camp which was just where the Resistance had set up inside a restaurant. It was busy inside, packed with people with minor injuries and those willing to relocate. They crossed paths with a stressed out Jinyoung who seemed relieved when he was stopped. 

“Are you okay hyung?” Jeongin asked. Jinyoung took a second to lean against a table, Felix could see the sweat on his forehead.

“It’s just a bit busy in here, but it’s slowing down as people get situated,” Jinyoung responded, setting his clipboard down on the table.

“Is there a car leaving soon?” Chan wondered, his gaze wandered as he spoke.

“There should be one leaving in a few to take people back to HQ, you want to go see your friend right?” Jinyoung recalled. Felix nodded excitedly, he needed to make sure Jongho was okay. “I haven’t heard anything from the medics so my guess is that he’s doing well. Thank you for holding me up, I needed a breather,” Jinyoung joked before going back to what he was doing. 

“Alright, shall we go wait to leave?” Minho asked the group. They were ready to go, it had been a long and exhausting day for everyone. The truck finally pulled up and slowed to a stop before allowing them to get in. They got into the back of the truck, the cloth overtop hiding them from the rain that had started to fall. Felix leaned into Changbin’s side once they had gotten situated. A few others had also decided to head back to headquarters with them. Felix was so worn out, he ended up passing out before the truck started moving.

Felix awoke to his weight being shifted. His feet left the ground as he was situated on someone’s back. “How was your nap my Prince,” a soft voice joked as he noticed Felix waking up. Felix opened his eyes, tightening his hold around Changbin’s neck so he could hold himself up. Chan giggled beside him, brushing dark hair out of his eyes. 

“I’m still tired,” Felix whined, his voice was deep and scratchy. Changbin laughed as he began making his way back into headquarters. The rest of the group was headed back to the armory, returning all of their gear that they had used. Felix realized that his gear had already been removed and that Chan was holding his and Changbin’s things.

“Let’s go see Jongho, the others will meet us there,” Changbin smiled. He adjusted Felix on his back and headed to the infirmary. The infirmary was fuller than usual because of how many people were brought from Aresvale. Felix gazed around the room, Changbin spotted Jongho first. The boy was awake, color had returned to his skin and he didn’t seem to be in pain.

“Hey guys! Thank you for helping me out,” Jongho expressed. His leg was wrapped in white bandages but stayed unmoving. 

“Have the medics told you anything about your leg?” Felix asked. Jongho laughed softly, the tone of the conversation shifting.

“Well, I’m hoping the wounds don’t get infected. If they do, they may have to take my leg. But it’s looking okay at the moment,” Jongho says, still trying to be optimistic. Felix nodded slowly as the other male spoke.

“I’m wishing the best for you, once you’re up and walking again we’ll give you the grand tour,” Felix smiled. Jongho’s eyes brightened at that statement, but his shoulders deflated as he looked down. 

“I miss my hyungs,” he admitted. Felix’s heart ached for his friend. 

“I know Jongho, they’ll be here as soon as possible,” Changbin said, trying to keep the younger male optimistic. They still didn’t even know where Hongjoong and the others were being held. They had no clue when they were going to be able to rescue them. 

“I just hope it’s soon,” Jongho smiled sadly. By that time, the others were filing into the room having returned all of their gear to the armory. They stayed with Jongho for hours, telling stories like they used to. Felix just hoped they would be able to bring everyone back. They had to.

His whole body ached, it hurt to even shift his weight. He opened his eyes when he finally gained enough strength. Hongjoong was next to him, sitting against the wall. “Seonghwa hyung?” a voice asked. Seonghwa gazed over to the spot the voice came from. It was Wooyoung. They were back with the others. This was the first time him and Hongjoong had been allowed to be with the others. 

“Is J-Jongho here?” Seonghwa asked, his voice was scratchy from the lack of water. In the back of his mind he believed Jongho was dead. The market Seonghwa had sent him to had been bombed. Jongho hadn’t been brought in with them, he knew that. But he tried to believe the youngest was here with them, alive.

“Hyung, you know what happened,” Mingi said sadly. Seonghwa’s body shuddered, causing him to gasp in pain. Hongjoong noticed and leaned over him, gently moved his body into a more comfortable position. 

“Don’t say that, he’s alive,” Yeosang spoke up. Seonghwa perked up, his body still screaming at him for moving so suddenly. 

“Don’t give us false hope,” Mingi frowned. He was curled up with Yunho in the corner of the room. 

“I saw him, someone pulled him out of the market. He looked okay other than his leg. But I promise you he is alive,” Yeosang cried. Seonghwa felt tears well up in his eyes. Jongho was alive. 

“Why didn’t you mention it earlier?” San questioned.

“Whenever his name was even mentioned no one wanted to hear it, you dumbasses made up your mind,” Yeosang pouted. San moved closer to him, settling in right next to Yeosang. Seonghwa felt relief wash over him. He had carried the thought that he caused Jongho’s death for days.

“Do you think Minho hyung and the others went back for him?” Wooyoung wondered. Seonghwa knew they did. They had to have gone back for him. 

“I think they did,” Hongjoong replied. Seonghwa was about to speak, but was cut off by the sound of heavy boots in the hallway. Everyone went still, not daring to make a sound. The footsteps ceased in front of the door. The jangling of keys made Seonghwa’s heart drop. The door opened, the sound of the metal hurt his ears. A man stepped inside, Seonghwa recognized him.

“Don’t worry boys, I just have a few questions for you,” the man smirked.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to get another chapter out while I'm on break next week so stay tuned!
> 
> I'm also planning to get a Stray Kids tattoo, I'm super excited about it. I'll probably end up posting it on my twitter once I get it done.
> 
> @skziife
> 
> Hope you have a great day!!


End file.
